A few weeks back, my kids stumbled upon some old photo albums from their baby days, which also included a few rather questionable shots from a pre-kids trip to Ireland with some friends. I use the term “stumbled upon” loosely, as these albums have been sitting on a shelf in our dining room, quietly blending into the background noise of our home. They were overlooked, ignored, and nearly forgotten.
When my eldest was born, I became fixated on tracking every milestone and capturing every memory. His first smile, laugh, and tooth were celebrated as though he were the only baby to ever achieve them. I snapped countless photos of milestones like rolling over, sitting up alone, and crawling, then sent them off to family members who probably couldn’t have cared less about his newfound enthusiasm for smashed bananas.
All the parenting books insisted these were the moments worth remembering. However, in hindsight, it’s the unconventional moments that stick with me the most. I can’t recall my sons’ first words, and the specifics of their typical milestones are a blur. Frankly, I don’t even mind not remembering those.
Recently, my friend Amy published a heartfelt piece about the unforgettable moments from her baby’s early years, even if her child won’t remember them. It tugged at the heartstrings and reminded me that it’s the personal experiences—like playful tickle sessions or sweet kisses—that resonate. While I can’t say I remember any tickle fests, my memory is filled with moments like dancing in the living room and long strolls in the park, punctuated by more dancing.
Yet, amidst those sweet recollections, there are plenty of parenting events I can’t shake off, no matter how hard I try. For example, I’ll never forget the first time my child decided to take a poop in the bathtub or the time he threw up in public—and yes, on me too.
I can vividly recall the diaper blowout that left me covered in baby goo and required scissors to free my son from his onesie. And who could forget the first time he peed on me (literally, the day we brought him home)? Then there were the moments of sheer panic when I discovered he had bitten another child or, conversely, been bitten himself.
I’ll always remember that first shower I took alone while he played in another room, which turned out to be the quickest and most guilt-ridden shower of my life. I won’t forget the phone call from his teacher about his newfound love for “potty words” at preschool or the awkward moment I caught him exploring himself, wondering if that was typical behavior.
And, of course, the first time he dropped an F-bomb—let’s just say I struggled to keep a straight face.
Yet, despite the chaos, I know I’ll probably forget these moments eventually. Motherhood has a funny way of scrambling our brains. But at least I’ll have this list to jog my memory.
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In summary, while the traditional milestones fade from memory, the comical and chaotic parenting moments are the ones that truly linger—whether we like it or not.