These Are the Good Old Days

I was fortunate enough to have the morning and afternoon off from mom duties today. This is never entirely true because naturally, I still end up doing family errands, but it's definitely easier to do it all without the kids. I did treat myself to a manicure, however, and also decided to go to my favourite cafe near our old apartment for lunch.

This place is my absolute favorite little cafe in the city, and it almost serves as my Seattle anchor. It was one of the first places Brendan ever took me when I moved out west, and I just fell in love. It's homey, because it's in an old house in a completely residential neighbourhood, and there's a pretty vegetable garden and chicken coop out back, it's so idyllic. It's also the place that satisfied all my pregnancy cravings for both boys, and one of the first places we ever brought tiny, newborn Noah to when my best friend came to visit. We even had part of our first family photo shoot there!

As I sat down to eat my amazing sandwich and sparkling juice, I notice two women come in and sit down across from me at the big family style table, with their two little babies in car seats. Honestly, it wasn't that long ago that I first did this, but the fond memory of it made me burst into tears. One of my very best mama friends and I used to walk to the big park up the street every single day, and on some days, we'd brave the big hill down (and eventually back up!) to the cafe with our strollers, painful c-section scars, and our firstborns. It feels like a million years ago but it hasn't even been five! We thought life was so difficult with one new baby, how silly we were, (now that friend has THREE children).

I don't exactly want to live in the past, but wouldn't it be such a wonderful treat to be able to go back in time briefly, to all your favorite moments, and get to watch fondly with all that you know now? I suppose it's easy to look back on it with rose coloured glasses. Such is the magic of life, I guess.