Please, Please, Don’t Let Me Forget This Summer

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When I saw him round the bases (backwards) at the baseball field for the first time and high-five his brother, I thought to myself, “Please, please, don’t forget this.”

When I saw my older boy learn to “surf” on his boogie board this summer at the beach and the bravery and pride that spread across his tan little face, I whispered to myself, “You need to remember this.”

When I think about the summer I have just spent with my three-year-old and one-year-old, I get a huge lump in my throat. The memories we have created together are so special, but I am so afraid I am going to forget them.

This summer with my boys has been sweaty, salty, sandy, sticky, and exhausting. The three of us went on adventures practically every day, so we did A LOT. We have been together all day, every day since May, so these little boys are my buddies. I hate to brag, but they adore me.

And while every day was far from perfect (plenty of meltdowns from kids and mom), when I look back on this summer, I am so proud of how we spent our time together. I want to remember every little detail! The way they hug each other “good morning” without being prompted. The way their faces lit up when they learned to drink out of the garden hose for the first time. The wonder in my older boy’s eyes when he saw his first real life rainbow…”I LOVE this rainbow! Rainbows are so beautiful!”

So much has happened in these short months, and being with them non-stop reminded me how fast time is flying. The list of funny moments, toddler mannerisms, mispronounced words, sweet interactions, and milestones that I want to remember from this summer are overwhelming.

I need to remember this time in my life. But the truth is, I barely remember what happened a couple of years ago. I barely remember what happened six months ago! Between work, being a mom, being a wife, being a PERSON, my brain is just always at max capacity.

When I look back on my life in thirty years, how am I ever going to remember the important things?

I will gladly exchange the space in my brain that remembers Ace of Base lyrics for the memory of my three-year-old telling me multiple times a day, “Mom, I think I love you!” The idea of not remembering that sweet little voice say that to me is gut-wrenching.

I know there is going to come a day when they probably are not going to adore me anymore. And they don’t hug each other “good morning” and they will know how to run the bases in the correct direction.

So what is the solution? How can I remember this sweet time? Do I just take tons of photos and videos on my phone and hope that they jog my memory down the road? I am hoping that when those special moments (or even everyday moments) hit that you want to remember, if you can take a step back and fully experience it, and tell yourself “Please please remember this,” you just might.

Please, Please, Don't Let Me Forget This Summer

What’s the summer memory with your kids that you need to remember?