Growing Up Too Fast

After searching through a giant pile of un-folded laundry for shirts, pants, undies, and socks for all of us, I entered the living room an saw this:


Smarty is explaining an Elmo game to Sweety and letting Sweety make the choices. They were having the best time working it out together! So cute!

These boys are really great to each other. Smarty has laid an important foundation for their relationship by being a thoughtful, loving older brother, and Sweety has picked up on that and reciprocated love and kindness to the best of his ability. I can't tell you how proud I am of these two! I just know I'm the luckiest mom in the world!




I tried to get them both to turn and smile, but Smarty, as you can tell, was really into his game.











Sweety on the other hand, has no problem deciding what to do when a camera is pointed at him.

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One more cute pic for tonight. Here's a treasure I almost missed because I was moving through my day too quickly.

It's my wee-est boy's sticky hand print on my front steps.

I don't know why, but finding this hand print tugs at my heartstrings a little. I guess it's just so little-boyish to use perpetually sticky hands to climb up disproportionately large stairs, and I'm starting to feel time passing far too quickly.

My boys are growing up so fast, and soon there will no longer be moments like this. I don't want to miss any of them, and I can't help but worry and wonder; how much have I already missed that I will never get back?!

It makes me all the more resolved to slow down, relish every second of our present lives, and give my best to help them do the same. But regardless of my efforts, time will march on relentlessly, and they will grow up. I'm so proud of the beautiful job they've done so far, but I grieve their increasing loss of innocence, and my waning ability to protect it.

The most important way I can protect them is to arm them with what they'll need to combat the terrors of this world. I just hate the education they must undergo in order to do this. I will do it though. I will help them learn how to care for themselves and think for themselves. I will try like the dickens to give them everything they need to survive and thrive.

Luckily, they already have one crucial defense in their arsenal. They have each other. And I pray that their beautiful relationship will continually grow and blossom as they do.