I know I'm being totally ridiculous, but I'm a mom. I can't help myself! This last weekend was a little difficult for me. I love my children. They will always be my babies. They just seem to be getting further and further away from actually being babies.
Saturday was a day for growth in my house.
Bailey turned 10 months old. I know, she's not even 1 year old yet. (Like I said, I'm being totally ridiculous.) It just reminded me she's getting closer to that 1st birthday mark. I remember the day she was born, her first day home, her first bottle, her first tooth, her first bath, her first cereal, her first smile, her first laugh, her first attempt at crawling, and so many more firsts! Now she's got 7 or 8 teeth (depending on the amount of swelling in her gums). She's pulling up and cruising around. She can climb the stairs, surprisingly fast for a 10 month old. She says "ma ma" and is using some of the sign language I'm teaching her. She lets go of what she's holding on to and stands alone for a few seconds (before she realizes what she just did). She is not shy about letting us know things she likes or doesn't like. She fits into size 12-18 month clothes. No more newborn sized clothes! She has such a playful personality, but she's so different from her brother. She's amazing! I'm so in love!
Collin also hit a milestone Saturday. His is of a little bit more personal nature. I will say that involved a certain article of clothing that replaces diapers! I'm so proud of him. He overcame some major anxieties to let go of the pull-ups. Collin is now 3 and a half. He lets us know frequently that he is not 3 anymore, but 3 and a half. I can remember all of Collin's firsts as vividly as I remember Bailey's! He's such a big boy now. He's a great helper, and loves to do it, as long as it doesn't interrupt his playing. He can help me cook and bake. He helps take care of his sister. He even tells people it's his job to protect her. He loves any sport that involves a ball. He's pretty good a hitting a baseball, and he can throw pretty well, too. He is always on the go! Seriously. He doesn't stop unless he's sleeping. Seriously. He doesn't need much help entertaining himself. He's super creative. He can write his name. He is learning to recognize letters and numbers (something I thought he'd forget since he left preschool when Bailey was born). He's learning Bible verses and learning about the amazing Gift of Jesus. He trusts God to protect him and help ease his fears. He asks thanks God every night before dinner for helping him to obey. At Easter lunch he prayed "Dear God, thank you for the food, oh, and my tummy hurts, and thank you for helping us, and for being in my heart, and for Jesus to die on the cross." (More later on what I'm learning about my relationship with God from my 3 year old) He is doing so many things for himself now that we used to have to do for him. He is so sweet and amazing! I'm so in love!
I have to be honest, though. Most of the time I'm grateful when he hits these milestones and becomes more independent. It does give me more freedom to take care of more things around the house. I am frequently praying for my kiddos to grow into healthy, happy, well-adjusted people who love the Lord. And, this most recent milestone came after lots and lots and lots of prayer. Who knew that when he finally reached it, I would react this way?
My children are wonderful, beautiful gifts from God, and I have enjoyed watching them grow so much in the short time since their births. I am so thankful for each day I have with them. I can't even remember what my life was like before they came along! I have loved every stage my kids have been in. I think every time they enter a new stage I say, "I just love this stage he's/she's in"! And I really have!
Even with all the reminiscing I'm doing, I would not go back, though. As much as I've loved each stage, I love even more moving on to the next one. Every time Collin and Bailey do something new, it's so exciting! I can't wait to see what they do next!
