Thursday, July 24, 2008

When did it happen?



Tonight this baby ran into my room trying to escape a "horrible dream." She climbed clumsily into my lap and clung to my neck. She whimpered in a sleepy voice and begged me not to make her go back to her bed.

And while I comforted her back to sleep I realized, this baby who used to sleep snuggled along my side, who used to fit so perfectly in my arms as I sang to her, and who would cuddle-cuddle on my lap until she finally drifted away into an unbreakable sleep, this baby who did all of those wonderful things was no longer a baby.

Her lanky four-year-old legs now stretched too far to snuggle comfortably into my lap. Her head rested to high to fit beneath my chin. Her body, having grown so tall this summer, now rested a bit too heavily on my lap for rocking. This baby of mine is no longer a baby.

And, though I knew how big she was getting and how much she was changing, it still saddened me to realize that some day soon she will not fit on my lap. And I just can't, for the life of me, figure out when this happened? How do these moments slip by so quickly?

For most pics from the past, check out THAT Family's Fro' Me To You Carnival!

11 comments:

j said...

Oh they DO! They just grow up way too fast. Beautiful Baby pic.

Jen

Anonymous said...

What a gorgeous baby!
I feel your pain - truly. One day you're cleaning up baby puke, the next day you're wiping tears from a broken heart.
That's why I plan on keeping having babies until I die - then I'll never be sad.
Except - ya know - my only child is 8 and I'm still not pregnant again. But I swear - this time, I' just going to stay knocked up.

Tammy said...

That is SO precious! It does happen to quickly (said with my 7 year old almost in my lap).

Muthering Heights said...

Awww, that's a sad, but sweet, mommy moment.

girlwithmoxy said...

Oh so true. Can't we give them "shrinking pills" to keep them small?

Katy McGuffey said...

I almost cry every time I think about Kayla going to Kindergarten! It's like I'm finally realizing I'm a mom and my kids just keep getting bigger and bigger! So sad!

Heather said...

Aww..isn't amazing? Sad, but so amazing. My daughter is TALLER than me, and my sons will be by next summer...

::sniff::

Anonymous said...

Mine will be eight this fall. Eight! Eight? Surely someone has miscalculated.
Lovely pictures!
(And I am in love with your header!)

Amy said...

Isn't this whole motherhood thing interesting. I remember when Eric and I got married, at the wedding everyone asked so when are you going to start your family. Then we have our first born, immediately following her birth everyone starts asking when are you going to give her a brother or sister? And as parents we can't wait until they can roll over, sit up, crawl, eat "real food", drink out a sippy cup, walk, be out of diapers, etc. etc. and many years from know they to will be getting married and having our grandchildren. ENJOY EACH DAY, and SOAK in ALL THEY DO THEY ARE ONLY LITTLE FOR A SHORT WHILE. Your daughter is beautiful!

Michelle D said...

Jenna, I Love, love your place here. After Erin sent me the link I had a blast perusing & was about to send you a comment when you sent me one:) My blog is in disarray - my design mysteriously disappeared & is still being worked on & much to my dismay I'm trying to figure out how/if I want to go private. Pictures of my sisters and son were stolen off my blog, made into a slide show and the creepy culprit claimed them as their own family. But I've really enjoyed this medium of communication which started as a way to keep up with family and gave me the gift of new friends & reunion with old. Good things:) Anyhow, I love your blog design and writing!

Darla said...

i've enjoyed reading your blog, i have 3 kids whom i have stayed home with for 18 years. they do grow up so fast, my oldest will be 18 next month and i cannot believe it. i have loved spending every minute i can with them and i don't regret it. enjoy your beautiful girls. it's funny that even though i did alot, i wish i had even more. it's just never enough when you love them so much.