Time moves fast and stands still all at once in parenting.
It starts whizzing by from the day your child is born. It becomes a new phenomenon. The wonder and bewilderment of not knowing where the time has gone. One day you’re holding a tiny baby in your arms and the next, they’re toddling off into anything and everything.
Then you have your second child and the speed of time doubles, leaving you utterly speechless.
This last year has gone by in the blink of my mama eyes.
But then there are those moments. The ones that are forever frozen in time. The memories you hope to hold onto for as long as possible. The moments that you hope to carry with you long after they’re no longer babies, because you’ve well learned, that babies just don’t keep. But, maybe the memories will keep for your lifetime. You’ll wistfully think of them from time to time and wonder to yourself, wasn’t it just yesterday?
- It was just yesterday that you snuggled your curled up body on my chest and nuzzled your fuzzy head under my chin. And I deliriously breathed in that sweet, sweet newborn scent.
- It was just yesterday, that you were so teeny tiny. Your dad and I moved our hands ever so gently, while changing that newborn size diaper, praying that we didn’t break any of your bones.
- It was just yesterday, that you looked up for the first time and stared right into my eyes. You gave me our special signal silently through those big, puppy dog eyes, “you’re mine, you’re my mama.”
- It was just yesterday, that your big brother sat ever so still with a padded cushion placed carefully on his lap. He so excitedly held you, his “teeny baby bwudder, my best fwend.”
- It was just yesterday, that I stared at you sleeping, hoping that you would sleep through the night, instead of getting some sleep myself.
- It was just yesterday, that you smiled and let out your first belly laugh, and I felt the most innocent joy in hearing your laughter.
- It was just yesterday, that I nursed you in my arms, and watched you fall asleep. Because bedtime, that was always our special time, just you and me.
- It was just yesterday, that you started to give me those sloppy, open mouth kisses. The sweetest kisses ever.
- It was just yesterday, that you took a huge chunk of avocado and rubbed it all over my face, while sticking that tiny tongue out like you played your first prank on your mama.
- It was just yesterday, that you took your first steps, and we, your #1 cheerleaders, clapped with so much delight at your new found milestone.
- It was just yesterday, that you screamed with delight playing with the water table. You looked up at your big brother with so much love and adoration.
- It was just yesterday, that you started bobbing your head and shimmying your shoulders, when we sang your favorite songs.
The first year of a baby’s life is full of so many milestones. The list could go on and on. In the midst of all the memories, time is always so fleeting.
And just like that, in the blink of a mother’s eye, you are 1.
Time flies in motherhood, doesn’t it?
More Motherhood Reflections:
So emotional. Thanks for sharing this. My son is about to turn one very soon. I cant help but cry I know but time flies by. I look back on pictures, videos, and his milestones and can’t wait for him to grow over the next year. At the same time I’m like SLOW down kid!
<3 Yes, it's so fun for the things to come, but so sad at how fast it all goes by!!
Aw, what a special journey! I remember when my little ones were babies. What a sweet time.
Thank you so much, as much as they are the hard years, they are also some of the best!
This is so sweet. A mama’s heart <3
This post is totally making me sad. My little girl is turning one in just a few weeks and I literally can’t believe it. It seems like just yesterday she was spending most of her day sleeping in my arms. I am loving the stage she’s in now at just under a year, but I miss some of those sweet baby milestones too!
Awwwww, I’m sooo loving 12 months and I know 18 months is even more fun. But I’m still ALLTHEFEELS today. Can’t believe how fast they grow!
Great post! Kids grow so fast. It was just yesterday that I had my first child and now she’s a big sister helping me with a newborn. I cherish all these beautiful moments and try to take as many pictures as I can because as time goes by, we tend to forget a lot of things.
So fast! enjoy that sweet newborn mama!!
This is so sweet! We were at a baseball game the other night, and my four-year-old daughter fell asleep on me. She was heavy and sweaty, but it was the most wonderful thing. I miss my babies falling asleep on me!
OMG, I diiiie when my 3 yo lets me snuggle on him. Those days are long gone for the most part. WAHHH.
Soooo sweet! My little girl just turned one a few months ago, and it is such an emotional time. Beautiful post!
It’s like you want them to try and experience new things, but you want to stay small at the same time!
So I almost cried reading this. I was thinking about the moments I’ve had with my littles. And that smell of newborn hair is magical. You want them to stay small but grow up at the same time. Awesome words.
Thank you so much!! Newborn hair smell is sooooooooo magical. 🙂
What a beautiful tribute! You brought tears to my eyes. My youngest is eight months, and I know on just a breath of two, I will be celebrating my last baby’s first birthday. The last of the infants, the last of the newness… Here’s to continuing the adventures.
Oh, goodness. Holy typos! Typing while nursing in the dark is never a good thing. * in just a breath or two. Geez.
lol!! We just weaned!!! wahhhhhhhhhhhhhhh
Thank you so much, enjoy that sweet baby girl. The first year seems to fly by, doesn’t it?!
Aaaaahhhhhh way to make me want to BAWL early on a Saturday morning!!! This is beautiful. And sooo spot on! Lovely piece, mama. xo
Happy Birthday! I really wish time would slow down too. The first year went by way too fast.
So so fast! I can’t get over how fast time does fly with little ones!
Awwwwwww!!! Moving post!!
My little is about to start kindergarten and I am feeling this oh so acutely! My older is almost done with middle school and it just keeps going faster and faster…
Aww this is so sweet! They do so many “firsts” in their first year of life.
xx,
Amanda || http://www.fortheloveofglitter.com
I hated the day I woke up and noticed my son was starting to be independent. I literally cried. Great post!
I love this. I struggle every day as I have three kids under four(last two twins). Part of me wants them to grow a bit a be more independent to make things “easier,” the other part loves this stage and how exciting everything is to them.
I hate it. I look back at baby photos and have a hard time even remembering those times, and my kids are only 3 and 5!! It’s especially hard to remember with the first born, because I was consumed with a newborn/baby for so much of her early years.
Beautiful. My oldest boy turns five today. My second boy just turned 3. My youngest boy just turned one. All of this—SO true. Those sloppy open mouth kisses truly are the best 😉
Such a beautiful post. Hugs mama!! I agree…too fast.
So sweet! It really does go by so fast!
This is such a great post! I truly can not believe how fast time flies when you become a mama! But also, it seems like I can’t remember a time when I didn’t have children. Like life never really existed before they were born. Happy birthday to your precious baby boy!
This was just so sweet, especially his big brother holding him! I can’t imagine how much faster time flies with baby #2! Hugs, mama!
Awwww, this was so sweet. My little one is two and a half now and it’s so amazing to watch her grow and change, but I also have to remember to slow down and fully enjoy and appreciate these moments while they last!
There’s a poem from the 1950s that I really love that sums this up so nicely:
Song for a Fifth Child
by Ruth Hulburt Hamilton
Mother, oh Mother, come shake out your cloth,
Empty the dustpan, poison the moth,
Hang out the washing and butter the bread,
Sew on a button and make up a bed.
Where is the mother whose house is so shocking?
She’s up in the nursery, blissfully rocking.
Oh, I’ve grown shiftless as Little Boy Blue
(Lullaby, rockaby, lullaby loo).
Dishes are waiting and bills are past due
(Pat-a-cake, darling, and peek, peekaboo).
The shopping’s not done and there’s nothing for stew
And out in the yard there’s a hullabaloo
But I’m playing Kanga and this is my Roo.
Look! Aren’t her eyes the most wonderful hue?
(Lullaby, rockaby, lullaby loo).
The cleaning and scrubbing will wait till tomorrow,
For children grow up, as I’ve learned to my sorrow.
So quiet down, cobwebs. Dust go to sleep.
I’m rocking my baby and babies don’t keep.
Thank you so much for sharing that sweet poem!! Love it!