Time stands still, well, not really

Today (and for the next few days) my DD is 5, my DS is 3, my DS is 1, and my sweet baby boy is 8 weeks.....

And it won't stay that way. It keeps changing, they keep growing! Every time I turn around one of them masters a new skill, learns a new word, or finds something new to explore. I can't keep up! Although, as of this moment, all 4 of their baby books are current and up to date :-)

I am so sad some days. My 3 oldest kiddos have grown up so fast. They aren't small and helpless anymore. They have their own thoughts and feelings. They don't need me, like when I first "met" them.

I think I need to be needed. (That sounds like I may be in need of a good therapist!)

I don't really want them to stay infants forever. I love watching them grow and change. But I miss the smallness of those first few months. My tiny boy right now has already grown sooooo much. Each coo and smile I coax out of him is a delight....and a reminder that he will also grow up.

Maybe I need a small teddy bear. Something the same size as a newborn (right around 7 pounds!) that I can hold each time I feel like they aren't small anymore. Maybe I can talk my DH into a small dog that will always need my constant attention. Maybe it means I will need another baby one day :)

But, I think it boils down to realizing that my babies are growing up. That I should focus on the moment and the future instead of missing the past. And if you aren't looking forward, you will miss many important moments.

Time can't stand still. It continues to move forward at a constant rate. I will just have to take lots of pictures and focus on the moment......so I can have the memories that will last!

I have one little "mommy tip" that should earn you a gold star. I started this with my DD, and have done it with all my DS's. Each child has a small stuffed animal. I have taken their picture next to that animal at various points in their development. At 4 days, at 6 weeks, at 3 months...etc. It is amazing to see how much they grow!!!! And something about having a comparison makes it so much more incredible.

If I ever have enough time, or energy, I will post of few of them...it blows my mind to see how small they once were. But, in some ways, its nice to see just how far we have come.