They Grow up All At Once

Sometime I wonder what it will be like when my kids are older.  And then a time comes in their life where they grow up al at once.  It happens when I least expect it and it brings bittersweet joy, pride and the truth of motherhood to the surface.  One day, they will leave me.

This week has been especially monumental.

On Wednesday, my sweet, sweet Sarah graduated from Preschool.  As I stood watching her sing and wave at me from the huge stage that still made her look so little, I remembered her first day of preschool three years earlier.  She had a nap mat and a small backpack with her name and a lady bug embroidered on it.  On this day, she had a graduation cap, a Dora dress and a back pack almost as big as she is.

I did good as I held back tears – mostly – and when I left her to play for the last time ever in preschool, her older sister holding my hand as I prepared to take her to school, it occurred to me that they were all growing up right now!

When I dropped my 1st grader off at school to start her last week of her 1st grade year, I again let some tears well up as I remembered walking her into the same preschool that Sarah just graduated from on her first day of school.

Now she is so big.  With three loose teeth, friends to call her own, an attitude that is mostly sweet and a little sassy, and a brain I can’t even keep up with.  I walked her to the bus stop this morning for her last Thursday ever as a 1st grader and we chatted about what she would do today and her loose teeth.  I told her that I thought her second tooth would finally fall out.  It has been almost 6 months since the first one did.

After school, and after my first fun summer day with my two youngest, we headed to the pool.  Sarah announces, with the bravery of her Swimways Dolphin Life Vest firmly in place, that she wants to ‘dive’ into the deep end.   I tell her I will catch her if she wants to try.  She does and she does it.  Sort of a belly flop, but she does.  Determined, she asks me to show her how.  So I get out of the pool and show her.  Within minutes, she is not only diving, but nearly flipping into the pool!

After a while, it was time to take my little fish and head to dinner.  At dinner, Katie wiggled and played with her loose tooth.  And then she turned to me and said, “Mommy, can you pull it out?”

I did and – wala-  her second tooth gone.

I sat at the table, second of many many baby teeth tucked safely in my purse, I smiled with pride at how wonderful my life is with these amazing children. And I wondered how I got so lucky!

We headed home and the girls asked if they could play outside a little before bedtime.  Sarah, already achieving so much in two days, says, “Mama, I want to ride Katie’s bike!”  Now, Katie’s bike has no training wheels and, despite months of  bribery asking since she does so well on the FirstBike Balance Bike,  she has wanted nothing to do with it. She wants her Dora bike, training wheels in place, thank you very much!

But tonight, out of the blue, she grew up right before my eyes. She jumped on Katie’s bike and took off as if she has done it every day of her life.

Between graduation, lost teeth, diving and bike riding, it has been a week of firsts.

Now you may be asking….  don’t you have three daughter’s?

I do.  My little one Megan is going to be in the three day preschool next year.  The last Pace girls to go to the same school, taking us out with a bang!

But for now, God knows things are moving too fast.  So he is letting her stay little for just a little while longer.  Just for me.  For my heart.  For the sanctity of my Motherhood.

And I cherish it.  Because tomorrow she’ll grow up.

All at once.

Read more about my Motherhood at My Recent Writings