Enjoy it now

The other day Scott and I were at a playground with Parker and there was a beautiful little three year old girl playing in the area where Scott and I were sliding Parker down the slide. The mom walked over to us and asked "How old is he?" I answered, "He's ten months." 

She then started in on this mantra that I've heard all kinds of people say for years: "Oh, well you better enjoy it now. When he starts walking around and talking soon all he'll be saying is 'NO!NO!NO!'" So strange, I thought that it would be fun when I could talk with him! And also when I could shed my one Popeye arm that I've been developing by carrying him in my left arm while balancing 5 bags of groceries and a diaper bag in my right arm.  Apparently this is something that I should be dreading.

It is interesting though, because I've been hearing this at pretty much every life stage. Enjoy high school, because when you're in college, school will be much tougher. Enjoy college, because soon you'll have to go in the real world and get a job. Enjoy dating, because once you're married it'll totally change. Enjoy being married without kids, because once you have kids you'll never eat out anymore, enjoy sleeping now that you're pregnant, because after you have the baby you won't sleep anymore... and now, just when I have a baby in hand and I thought this ridiculousness was all over with, it's "Enjoy this newborn stage, they grow so fast! Enjoy it before he starts eating solids, after that it's really messy." "This is really the honeymoon stage before they talk, enjoy it!"  

As it turns out, I enjoyed college, then I enjoyed earning a salary and being out in the "real world." When Scott and I were dating we certainly had lot of fun, but being married is even more wonderful. Now that we have a baby I couldn't even have predicted the level of joy that I have everyday just watching him grow.

I looked up the etymology of the word enjoy. It comes from the Middle English enjoien, from Anglo-French enjoir, enjoier to gladden, enjoy, from en- + joie joy. From the french etymology it breaks down to be "in joy." So for all you random folks, I am taking half of your fantastic unsolicited advice. I am en-joying my life RIGHT NOW. And I'll en-joy myself later as well!