in a blink

Does time ever pass so fast that you can't even hold still?

All summer long I had been soaking up time with my little kids.  I crossed off items off of my to-do list that continually grew.  I planned bridal showers and organized cupboards.  I decorated and redecorated.  I spent more hours than I can count laying on my living room floor right in the middle of the action.

We splashed at the pool.
We took afternoon naps.
We learned the letters of the alphabet and "rain rain go away".

Then, all of a sudden, it was over.

Alarm clocks and blow dryers before 7 a.m.  Rushed cereal instead of french toast sticks.  Packed lunches and daycare drop-offs...

Not only has summer come and gone, but my little kids have also grown up in the meantime, too.  In just a matter of days, sweet miss Kate has learned to hold all of her weight off of the ground on her all fours!  She's not even 6 months old and has long since mastered sitting up and rolling...but I never would have thought so soon she'd be nearly crawling.  Really, I'm shocked that my little girl is almost halfway through her first year.  Why does it seem that now that she's away from me most of her day she's growing oh so fast?  Why did the summer and maternity leave have to fly by?

Everything changes in the blink of an eye, people.  Just one blink.

As Kate learns to move, Jack has learned to spell, talk, and reason.  He's smart, my little blonde boy.  He knows when to charm and has learned exactly how to get his way -- no matter who he's around.  He reads for fun...sometimes we storm into his room, mad at him for not taking a nap.  Then, we catch him reciting the ABC song the best he can to his little baby doll -- using the little light that is shining through his curtain.  He's thoughtful and caring and adores his baby sis.

As our little family adjusts back to reality, I am thankful for the times we do share together.  Our eat-at-the-dinner-table chats.  Our bedtime routine.  Our "Good mawning, Mom!  I seeeep good!" proclamations from our boy who sounds more like he's from Boston than from Iowa in the morning.  And our countless kisses, snuggles, and giggles as we walk through this thing we call life.  Although I'm not home all day every day, I can still soak in the moments I do have...because before you know it, both Jack and Kate will be grown.  In the blink of an eye.

i don't care {i love it}

Is it nerdy to say that I just really, really, really love being a mom?  Okay fine.  I'll accept being a nerd.  I really do love it.

Before we had kids people would always say, "you just don't get it until you have kids".  I thought, hmmm, I'm a teacher -- pretty sure I adore kids.  No, they were so right!  It's such a different, unexplainable feeling to be a momma to my own.  Every single day I crack up at the goofy things Jack says, the silly faces Kate makes when she's pooing, and the look on Eric's face when he walks in the door from work and is greeted with three big smiles excited to see him.  There isn't a quiet dull moment for a second, but I literally laugh my way through the day.

The other day, Jack was finishing up his lunch and I was cleaning up the kitchen.  I heard this cute little sound -- Jack was singing "i don't care, I wuv it" as if he was on the radio!  It was one of those moments that stopped me in my tracks.  I smirked and tried to act as if I didn't see or hear, but secretly I was cracking up and smiling all at the same time.  How did Jack go from a baby to a kid in a blink of an eye?  Time flies much too fast I'm afraid.

 arrrr {muscles}

 {mom, here's wour canndy from da stowe!}

Kate, I am convinced, is still the easiest baby in this town.  Literally...sometimes we forget she's there {insert mom-of-the-year-award}.  She's quiet, content, observant, determined, silly, and adorable -- all of the time.  Okay, so when she does cry she wails.  But she rarely does it, so I laugh through it.  She's giddy with excitement over everything.  Her blankie, fresh, warm bottles, snuggling, chewy toys, sitting up, food, her big bro, our doggie, outside, music, tutus.  She even leaves her bow in -- the bow that I put on her head every single day.  I just love having a little girl.

Sleep.  Have I told you my thoughts on kids and sleep and happiness and marriage and well-behaved children? =)  I really attest having great sleeping kids to my happiness in being a mommy.  Our kiddos go down anywhere between 7 and 8.  Both of them like clockwork.  All. through. the. night.  This is wonderful for so many reasons.  Our house gets cleaned.  Our ears experience some quiet.  Eric and I have uninterrupted time for chats, catching up, swapping stories, and snuggling to our fav shows that neither of us agree on which is best.  I think a lot of my love for this little life is the fact that we still have us time through all of the diapers and alphabet flash cards.

By the time we go to bed, I'm already missing my wide-eyed littles.  I sneak in and give each of them a middle-of-the-night kiss and tell them "goodnight, I love you." in my most whisper-y mom voice. Every night.   I do believe people are destined for certain things, and this girl was made to be a momma.

Here's to many, many more laughs, kisses, middle-of-my-living-room-dance-parties, dinner chats, family cuddles, and building memories for our little party of four.