Gracie Goose

I realized something yesterday and it came as quite a shock to me. My itty bitty little baby girl is growing up.

Yeah, okay I know... I probably should have realized that sooner, considering that she is three and a half and I spend 24 hours a day with her, 365 days a year - well, minus the 9 days she was with her Grandma last month. But as she was bouncing up and down like her usual goofy self yesterday, it hit me pretty hard.

She may be my baby, but she is far from being a baby. And of course, she makes sure to tell me, "I'm not a baby, Mom," every time I call her my little baby.

I read once that when you have children, the days are long and the years are short. I don't think I have ever read a more true statement than that one. I feel like my days with the girls stretch on and on and on, and the fantasies I have of them packing their bags and going off to college are frequent and often involve them going off to school in Siberia or some other far away place so I can finally have a moment of peace and quiet.

But Annelie turns two at the end of this month, though I swear I only just gave birth to her a few days ago. And it feels like it was only a few months ago that my days involved only my little side kick, Gracie.

She is quite the character, always ready to laugh and run and jump and paint her lips with lollipop lipstick. She is sassy and sweet, caring and creative... and the best little person I could ever know.

As ready as I am to ship her off to college in Siberia, I'm not really ready at all. And when the day comes for her to start kindergarten, first, second, third, fourth and fifth grade, I'll be that mom who stands in the hallway bawling her eyes out while her little girl rolls her big blue eyes and says, "Stop embarrassing me, Mom!"

And though I can't wait to see what kind of girl she grows up to be, I wish I could bundle her up and hold onto her forever.

I just love this little girl to bits.

xoxo,