They Grow So Fast

Sophie a Few Months Old

I know everyone tells you this, but it really is true, they grow so fast! It seems like just yesterday I was at home on maternity leave holding my little baby in my arms on an endless cycle of feedings, diaper changes, and naps. And now here we are living with a toddler. She is so independent now. She plays happily by herself, eats real food, is no longer on formula, only takes one bottle of milk before bed (which we're cutting out next week), and sleeps a blissful 12 hours a night.

I would probably have to say so far this toddler stage is my favorite, partly because her independence makes her so much easier to handle now, but also because she is so much happier. Sophie was not a happy baby. She was fussy, didn't like to be held or rocked, and didn't sleep through the night until she was almost 8 months old. However, now that she is old enough to be more independent she is so much happier! I think she just didn't want to be a baby. She's always been in a hurry to grow up. She got her first tooth at 3 months and has a mouth full now, she only crawled for a few months before she started walking at 9 1/2 months, and it seems like every day she learns something new, showing us she is no longer a baby.

But as happy as I am that she's in this new, easier stage, I do miss her as a baby. I miss holding her, marveling at her tiny little hands and feet, sitting quietly and giving her a bottle. It all just goes by so quickly. I feel like we'll blink and she'll be two. It's bittersweet. But that's why I try to hold on to each little moment and cherish them. I take lots of pictures, I try to make an effort to be present when I'm home with her (both physically and mentally), and I find myself taking mental pictures of her in my head to hold on to. Just the other night I was putting her to bed and she was barely awake. I carried her to her crib, and as I reached her crib I held her for a few extra seconds before laying her down, just enjoying the feeling of her in my arms. She's so big now. I strain a little to pick her up and when I'm holding her her little legs hang past my hips. And I'm brought back to the time when I used to be able to pick her up with no effort and she fit perfectly in my arms. Everyday it is something new and I want to be sure to hold on to all of these memories. It's an amazing thing being a mother, just amazing.

Sophie Today