Photo by Michelle Jackson

This past week has been filled with emotional memories. Memories of three births, spanning over sixteen years, landing only five days apart.

Between February 17 and February 22, all three of my children were born. If they’d stuck with their due dates, the gap would have been more like a month apart, but fate intervened when two came early and one was late.

Since they live in three different cites (in two different states), they met up last weekend in San Francisco to spend time together. After my daughter posted their picture on Instagram, I thought back to how tiny they were, filled with curiosity and wonder. How Michelle loved My Little Pony, and we’d watch the Rainbow Brite and the Star Stealer movie for what seemed like a million times a week. How Brian loved to play with his Micro Machines and Transformers and how we’d watch Short Circuit and Flight of the Navigator countless times. And how Matt and I would build his LEGO kits together and countdown to new episodes of the Avatar TV series.

Each has grown up to be an amazing adult with musical and artistic talents. They’re pursuing their own paths, and I’m so very proud of each of them. And while our relationships now are special and I wouldn’t change anything, weeks like this make me wish we could go back and watch one more Rainbow Brite or Short Circuit movie. Or put together one more LEGO creation. Because this mom’s heart remembers those special moments and cherishes them dearly.