Bed and Breakfast’s… what fun they are for the couple looking for the romantic getaway! But for the average parents, that is not the only thing that B & B stands for. Any parent reading this knows that it also stands for Binkies and Bottles (and sometimes Barney)!! Especially during the early years, the greatest pacifiers are both the binky and the bottle. As of this writing, my son is 21 months old and much more obsessed with his binky than he is with his bottle. He calls them “B’s” and can’t go ANYWHERE without them. Like any child in need of a security item, he is most content when he is surrounded by B’s and has something resembling a bottle (read: sippy cup) nearby. He puts a B on each finger and clutches 5 or 6 of them when he goes to bed at night.

What is so wonderul about spending time with a child this age is the innocence and love that accompany them. I have met countless people who have said to me how much they miss their children being little. They fondly recount the stories of their child learning to crawl, walk, say his first word, and get into everything within reach. That’s how my son is - completely curious without a single ounce of fear. It is wonderful to look into his eyes and see that he sees everything with pure amazement. Something as simple as a light switch or a bug on the sidewalk, his face in the pillow or a family member chasing him around the house - all of these moments are passing quickly and they can never be re-lived.

Watching him reminds me how very quickly life passes. It seems that, as humans, we are always looking forward rather than enjoying the current moment. The brief moments with our children, parents, siblings and friends pass by and are gone before a single blink of an eye. The past is gone so we must forget about that; it cannot be changed. We must not worry about the future because it isn’t here yet and will come and take care of itself in due time. It is the present moment that should occupy our thoughts. If you have a child enjoying a Binky or Bottle (or you are enjoying a Bed and Breakfast with your spouse!), spend that brief time savoring every second. It will be gone before you know it and the B & B stage for children, along with other fleeting moments in life, are definitely a time to be treasured!