Thankful for Growth

I talk ALL THE TIME about how fast my kids are growing. Most of the time the focus is on Max because he is at an age where milestones are slapping me in the face on a weekly basis. And this week was no exception.

As you already know, when it comes to some things...I have control issues. I'm not ashamed to admit it because I don't see anything wrong with it. Max barely started wiping his own booty about six months ago or so...I didn't want to let him wipe his own booty from the jump because then he would have left himself...dirty, for lack of a better word. Most of the time I still make him drink from a sippy cup if we aren't sitting at the table to eat, because I'd rather not have him spill his drink on the carpets, and I have this rule with all kids in my house, not just Max. Getting to my point though, I also still wash Max when he is in the bath. Some of my friends have been letting their kids wash themselves since like four years old...and I just couldn't bring myself to do that. I like the thought of my children REALLY being clean when they get out of the tub. So Ryan and I decided that since Max is halfway to being six we were going to start teaching him how to take SHOWERS...and last night was night one. At first I was fine, I showed him how all the knobs worked and which one was hot, cold, and shower. I showed him the proper way to wash his hair and his body. Ryan came in and showed him how to clean his private areas. I helped him out and he was drying himself off and in jammies in no time.

It was when I sat down on the couch and was telling Max that since he is getting older he is going to be learning how to do a lot more on his own, that I got the tears in my eyes. I started telling him things that he would be doing on his own like showering, putting away his laundry (more often), and when I got to "and when you turn six you dont have to sit in a booster seat anymore", the tears came. Now of course I wasn't crying hysterically cause then Max would have thought I went and lost my marbles, but they were coming steady hahaha. Then he had to go and ask if he could sit in the front next to me and I said "no buddy, the rules are no kids in the front seat under 12 years old" and I realized how fast 12 is going to come.

My kids growing is a blessing. I wouldn't ask for God to keep them small or anything like that because I love seeing progress. I love knowing that it is my (and everyone else that loves them) nurturing and care that causes the growth and change. I just ask that the memories of my children growing and changing stay with me for the rest of my life. I pray that the moments that I treasure right now will still be in my memory when I am old.

I'll talk to you soon,
J