Crying Over My Peppermint Mocha

Well, it is officially the lead-up to Christmas.  How do I know? Starbucks.  The red cups are back, and so are my favourite hot drinks.

The other day, when Hubbs bought me my first peppermint mocha of the season and I took my first sweet, creamy sip, I nearly burst into tears.  No, the coffee tasted fantastic, and nothing was wrong with it.

But I was overcome with emotion because it suddenly dawned on me that the last time I had tasted the delicious minty-choco brew, Baby Loquacious was still a little bun in my oven, and not a precocious little sassypants in my arms.  That first taste, as it settled into my taste buds, triggered some sort of sensory memory of my pregnancy last winter, and I was awash again in the emotions of anxious excitement as I anticipated my little girl's arrival.

Last year, around this time, Hubbs and I were going through our prenatal courses.  I remember well the "Movember" experience of having him stroke his gross patchy 'stache throughout the day, while our instructor attempted to impart valuable info into our overwhelmed, as-yet-childless minds.  Every morning that we had a course, we stopped at Starbucks and I grabbed a grande (sometimes venti) peppermint mocha to perk me up and get me through the long training days.

When we'd go for "autumn" walks or winter strolls on the brisk sunny days of December, I continued to enjoy my peppermint mochas, hand in hand with Hubbs and postulating what life might be like once our precious baby arrived.  Oh, we were so naive! ;) 

Funny how our senses have their own recollections, and how something so small as a flavoured beverage could take me down all sorts of memory lanes.

Yep. Definitely a sassypants!

Anyway, the moment has since passed and I've had several peppermint mochas since this memorable one, and no, I did not burst into tears with every sip.  In fact, I don't recall having any emotional reaction whatsoever following this initial little outburst.

However, as we enter into the Christmas season and other seasonal things catch my eye, I am certain that I will be flooded with memories of my last DINKy Christmas all over again.

And next year, when I have my first peppermint mocha, I'm sure I will think back to this year and wonder how my baby got so big already.