The girls are on the brink…at 19 months old, they’re not really babies anymore, but they’re not quite little girls just yet, either.
I’ve decided they’re “tweens”, moving back and forth between the dependence of babyhood and the more independent little girl stages to come.
I was looking at some pictures I took within the past couple of weeks, and I could hardly believe my eyes. I swear that my babies look closer to four in their stylish bubble shirts and denim shorts. It made me want to dress them in sun suits and matching hats for as long as I can!
In many ways, the girls are still babies...
They still cry when they need or want something. I still change a thousand diapers a week (or at least it seems like it). And every night, I still carry them up the stairs, tuck them into their zipper blankets, lay them down in their cribs, and kiss their soft little heads, just like I have since they were born.
But in so many ways, they’re so grown!
They walk (and run!) and talk (and babble!) and feed themselves (at least somewhat proficiently). They understand and follow directions (when they want to). They can play and interact, both with me, and with each other. And they have opinions…and lots of them! They like certain toys, and certain songs, and certain books, and Heaven forbid that I not understand which one they’ve specifically “requested”!
As exciting as it is to be on this brink with them…to know that they will just continue to grow and mature and become more independent…to look forward to figuring out more and more of their personalities…to anticipate what it will be like the first time we’re able to play a board game together, or make a batch of cookies…
…it’s also bittersweet.
I love my babies so much, and I just want to soak in every last ounce of their babyhood.
So forgive me if I continue to stuff them into zipper blankets until they’re seven, and carry them upstairs when they weigh as much as I do. And what’s wrong with a ten-year old using J&J Baby Wash? Oh, how I love that smell!
But I know that no matter how old they are, or how much taller they are than their mama (pretty please!), they’ll always be my babies.
Ticker
7 comments:
Awe. I am choking up over here! I think I will still be calling mine "the babes" until they are teenagers!
I am so with you on this. My bubs are only a couple of days older than yours. They are my last babies and sometimes I just wish I could put the 'pause' button on so I can soak in their yummy smells and quirky little ways for longer.
With each day they get bigger and smarter. I am happy about it but I wish I could keep them at this age for longer too. The fact that I weaned them yesterday is probably adding to my nostalgia :(
Thanks for sharing!! I love to read posts like this that help me look into the future. It's hard to imagine my babies at 18 months ... even though that is very soon!! It is fun to see what your babes are up to and also to remind me to enjoy now because it goes so fast. That is hard to do during long, difficult days, but I must continue to appreciate the "now"!! Have a great day!
So well said! My "babies" are 23 mos. I just got a stack of pictures developed. Somehow, looking at them in the pictures really showed me, we are past the brink. There is very little baby left. They are kids. It broke my heart to think about. Soak up every remaining baby moment-- they go by in the blink of an eye!
Oh, you're breaking my heart! My guys are only 11 months old, and I'm already startled sometimes by how much they look like toddlers instead of babies. I'm really looking forward to getting to know the people they are becoming, but I will miss these babes.
I remember this age, and its tough. Its like they go from babies, to toddlers, to big kids, and it never slows down. Never slows down enough to sit back, and enjoy it, and soak it all up. I can't believe mine are going to be starting their transition to pre-school class next month, then starting pre-school next fall. :( I remember the day they were born like it happened yesterday, and it makes it that much harder!
I remember those months leading up to Tiny and Buba's second birthday as being very emotional for me. They were growing up so quickly, and I could hardly call them "babies" anymore. Still, I love that there's always something really great about every age and every stage. Like you, I'm trying to soak it all up, because I know how fast those changes come, and I don't want to forget all those little moments that have made my heart melt.
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