The night was quiet, the sun slowly setting atop the trees we passed. The minis excitedly told me all of their deepest thoughts. Night walks are akin to time in the car that others experience. It's a time when kids talk (and talk and talk) and you get a look into their minds. This is nothing new, my children do this while we hike as well. All questions and thoughts I never thought they'd think demand answers and occasionally my own opinion on them.
On this particular night they were talking about Halloween parties. Now, for years, I've done Halloween up big for them. Costumes, events galore, hell we've even thrown Pre-Trick or Treat parties over the years. So, I was rather shocked when I heard, "I can't believe this will be my first Halloween party!" come from the middle mini's mouth as he excitedly spoke of their weekend plans.
"It's not," I replied confused. I told him about all of our years of hosting trick or treat parties, followed by trick or treating with a huge group of kids and parents. I laughed as I recalled one year we had a group of thirty of us, so many that we had to walk in the middle of the street. I'll never forget the look on someone's face when she answered the door to find her driveway filled with us all!
But as I spoke, remembering all of the details down to the costumes they wore, the minis shrugged their shoulders. "I kinda remember something like that." It's their way of saying 'stop talking about it because we don't remember at all.' I've learned my children's polite brush-offs. I gave it up, going about our walk.
They don't remember these things, but I do. I remember the excitement on their faces, the screams, the squeals as they jumped in the bounce house with friends. I remember every costume worn, the house that handed me beer for having so many kids, the activities, every community event we attended, and I definitely remember, "thank you mom" at the end. It's one of my sweetest, fondest memories of those years. I can think of plenty of other things we've done throughout the years, spent ridiculous amounts of money on, and I know they were far too young to remember it now. So why did/do I even do those things? Because I'll remember every bit of it and soak it up in my mommy heart.