they do grow up

children do grow up. i remember when my first was born... i rushed him into everything. he would lay on the floor at 2 months and i would ask "when are you going to roll over?"
then he learned to crawl, and i asked him "when are you going to walk?"
he began to run around and i asked him "when are you going to ride a bike?"

as so it went as i made those first mother mistakes of rushing him out of each phase. but now, he is turning 10 this winter. i have been his mother a decade now. and there are things that i wish i could have back. this all came to me as i watched my big guy learning to mow the lawn with daddy last night. i want his toddler jabber again. i want to sit on the floor with his matchbox cars again (yes, the cars i hated stepping on). i want to have those moments back when he first learned to read, tie his shoes, or the first time he dressed himself in something that totally clashed.

if you have little ones, cherish the moments. i have learned this as each child comes along so that right now, i love each and every silly bubble our last baby blows. i take time to play with his 2 month toes. and parents with older children will tell you, you don't get to snuggle them and hold them forever. there will come a time when you let them leave the nest (push them out if necessary) and watch them fly away.