When babies grow up. {published!}

This morning, I sat for a while and watched Camden chase a red balloon around the house. His little chubby fingers stretched out, his bare feet running as fast as they could, his mouth stretched into a perfect gap-toothed grin. I watched him as I ate breakfast, and I suddenly realized that my baby was no longer a baby. It hit me with such force, and I immediately thought No! No! Just stay little. Please-- you can't already be at the toddler stage. You are supposed to be my tiny baby... forever.

I think every mother has this realization hit them at some point, and for me, it was today. And I was sad.

I know that one day, probably sooner than I think, I won't be waking up to these little children. I will be waking up to teenagers, to older versions of my kids that can have full conversations with me about driving and dating and their favorite basketball team. And I think I will love that stage.

But for now, I will do my best to keep my kids small. Because this stage is pretty magical.

***

To read more of my thoughts on this subject, read my short essay entitled "Words to the Graduates: Through Their Eyes",  here! (I entered it into a contest on a whim, and it won! Check it out, if you have a second.)

And now, photos of my babies.

{Boston, one day old; July '11}

{Camden, two months old; July '13}

{Boston, one week old; August '11}

{Camden, four months old; September '13}

{Camden, three days old; May '13}