All you remember about your child being an infant is the incredible1 awe2 you felt about the precious miracle you created. You remember having plenty of time to bestow3 all your wisdom and knowledge. You thought your child would take all of your advice and make fewer mistakes, and be much smarter than you were. You wished for your child to hurry and grow up.
All you remember about your child being two is never using the restroom alone or getting to watch a movie without talking animals. You recall afternoons talking on the phone while crouching4 in the bedroom closet, and being convinced your child would be the first Ivy5 League1 college student to graduate wearing pullovers2 at the ceremony. You remember worrying about the bag of M＆Ms melting in your pocket and ruining your good dress. You wished for your child to be more independent.
All you remember about your child being five is the first day of school and finally having the house to yourself. You remember joining the PTA3 and being elected president when you left a meeting to use the restroom. You remember being asked Is Santa real and saying yes because he had to be for a little bit longer. You remember shaking the sofa cushions for loose change4, so the toothfairy5 could come and take away your childs first lost tooth. You wished for your child to have all permanent teeth.
All you remember about your child being seven is the carpool6 schedule. You learned to apply makeup6 in two minutes and brush your teeth in the rearview mirror1 because the only time you had to yourself was when you were sTOPped at red lights. You considered painting your car yellow and posting a taxi sign on the lawn next to the garage door. You remember people staring at you, the few times you were out of the car, because you kept flexing2 your foot and making acceleration3 noises. You wished for the day your child would learn how to drive.
All you remember about your child being ten is managing the school fundraisers. You sold wrapping paper for paint, T shirts for new furniture, and magazine subscriptions4 for shade trees in the school playground. You remember storing a hundred cases of candy bars in the garage to sell so the school band could get new uniforms, and how they melted together on an unseasonably5 warm spring afternoon. You wished your child would grow out of playing an instrument.
All you remember about your child being twelve is sitting in the stands6 during baseball practice and hoping your childs team would strike out7 fast because you had more important things to do at home. The coach didnt understand how busy you were. You wished the baseball season would be over soon.
All you remember about your child being fourteen is being asked not to sTOP the car in front of the school in the morning. You had to drive two blocks further and unlock7 the doors without coming to a complete sTOP. You remember not getting to kiss your child goodbye or talking to him in front of his friends. You wished your child would be more mature.
All you remember about your child being sixteen is loud music and undecipherable8 lyrics9 screamed to a rhythmic8 beat. You wished for your child to grow up and leave home with the stereo9.
All you remember about your child being eighteen is the day they were born and having all the time in the world.
And, as you walk through your quiet house, you wonder where they went and you wish your child hadnt grown up so fast.
當(dāng)你的孩子是個嬰兒時，你所記得的，是你對自己創(chuàng)造出的堪稱完美奇跡的作品，感到不可思議的敬畏。你記得你有很多的時間去傳授你所有些智慧和常識。你覺得你的孩子將會同意你所有些忠告而少犯了錯誤誤，將會比孩提年代的你聰明很多。你多期望你的孩子快快長大。
孩子兩歲時，你所記得的，是從不可以一個人用廁所，從不看一部與動物無關(guān)的電影。你記得那些蜷縮在臥室儲衣間跟朋友通電話的下午，深信你的孩子將是第一個身著套頭衫出席畢業(yè)典禮的常春藤名牌大學(xué)畢業(yè)生。你記得你擔(dān)憂那袋M＆M巧克力糖會在你的衣兜里融化，毀了你體面的衣服。你多期望你的孩子更獨立些。
孩子5歲時，你所記得的，是他上學(xué)第一天你終于一個人擁有整個房屋了。你記得參加父母教師聯(lián)系會，在你離開會議室去洗手間時，你當(dāng)選為會長。你記得孩子問你圣誕節(jié)老人是不是真的？你回答是的，由于他還需要你的一定回答，盡管不久他就能自己判斷了。你記得在沙發(fā)墊子下一通翻騰要找出些零錢，如此牙齒仙女就會來把你孩子掉的第一顆牙帶走。你多期望孩子的牙都換成了恒牙。
孩子7歲時，你所記得的，是合伙用車的時間安排。你掌握了在兩分鐘內(nèi)化完妝，照著汽車后視鏡刷牙，由于你能給你一個人找出的時間就只有汽車停在紅燈前的那小段。你想過把你的車子漆成黃色，并在車庫門旁的草坪上立一個出租車的標(biāo)志牌。你記得有幾次你下車后，大家盯著你，由于你不斷用腳踩油門加速，制造噪音。你多期望孩子有一天能掌握開車。
孩子10歲時，你所記得的，是如何組織學(xué)校的募捐者。你們?yōu)橹匦路鬯W(xué)校兜售包裝紙，為購置新家具兜售體恤衫，為在學(xué)校操場上種植遮陽樹勸人訂閱各種雜志。你記得你在車庫里存放了上百盒糖果等待供應(yīng)，得到錢后學(xué)校的樂隊就能購置新制服，可是那些糖果竟在一個暖和得過頭的春季的下午全都融化在一塊了。你多期望孩子長大，不再演奏什么樂器了。
孩子12歲時，你所記得的，是孩子在體育場打棒球訓(xùn)練賽時，你坐在看臺上期望你孩子所在的隊非?？烊龘舨恢谐鼍?，由于家還有更要緊的事等你去做。教練不知道你為何那樣忙。你多期望棒球賽季能盡快結(jié)束。
孩子14歲時，你所記得的，是他不叫你早晨把汽車停在校門口。你不能不開過兩個街區(qū)，車還沒有停穩(wěn)就快點打開車門。你記得沒能在他的朋友面前跟他吻別或說話。你多期望孩子能更成熟些。
孩子16歲時，你所記得的，是吵鬧的音樂和以富有步伐的拍子尖聲唱出的很難聽懂的歌詞。你多期望孩子快點長大成人，攜帶音響離開家吧。
孩子十八歲時，你所記得的，是他們生的那一天，擁有世間所有些時光。
當(dāng)你在靜靜的房屋里走來走去時，你納悶他們?nèi)ナ裁吹胤搅四愣嗥谕⒆觿e這么快就長大了。