Bug and Sister

As soon as I mentioned that I was the last single parent that I knew, of course another single parent would come into my life. It's like mentioning that it hasn't rained recently, only to have it start instantly storming.

I mentioned MG in my last post, but didn't elaborate on him, mostly because it was so new and I wasn't sure if we were actually dating or not. Over the weekend, he made one of his first trips out of the house as a completely single parent and I had the luxury of meeting his two girls, bug and sister. Bug and sister, MG's nicknames for his girls, are 4 and 2. Zac was at his Nana and Papa's house when the three of us went out shopping on Sunday, which was good for a first meeting. He met the girls the next day when I went over to MG's house for the first time.

I realized that it's almost impossible for me to be around children and not want to parent them. It's become part of who I am, being a Mom, and I can't change it. I can't even control it. If I'm walking across the street with anyone under the age of 7, I have to actively stop myself from putting out my hand out to hold their hand. It's even worse with younger kids. With infants and toddlers, my body instinctively responds to their needs. I'm lucky if I can get away from the encounter without lactating, let alone wiping their mouths or checking to see if they need a clean diaper.

Imagine how hard it was for me then, to be around MG's youngest, who started calling me Mama. My body would respond to her even before my mind comprehended that I wasn't actually that child's Mama. The tone she used triggered some automatic response in me. I wanted to tend to her needs, even if it was to just look at her from the front seat of the car or offer her another piece of cookie.

Zac was over the moon when he got to meet them, in particular bug, MG's oldest. The two of them played like they were long-lost friends. It was heart-warming to see. This is the first time that Zac has ever met the kids of anyone I've been dating. I'm in unknown territory with this one. I probably should feel slightly alarmed, but I don't. Something feels right. It's a little scary, of course, but I have a good feeling. It's really nice to be around another single parent, especially one with kids as cute as MG's. It's also a nice bonus that I don't actually have to change any diapers.