Do you ever just take time to really enjoy your kids? Taking the time to love all their little quirks and their little personalities that they have grown into? These are the things that I love about our kids. I only wish I had the secret on stopping the aging process to keep them young forever.
I recently heard a song at my son’s end of the year pre-school musical that made me stop and think. It was a song by Rod Stewart that I heard many times over the years, but now that our kids are getting older and losing the age of innocence it hit a little more to home with me.
The song was “Forever Young,” and the part I love the most is at the end:
But whatever road you choose
I’m right behind you, win or lose
Forever Young, Forever Young
On our first day of our vacation, I took this picture (as seen below) of our son Jack. I call this “8 going on 18.” I took it to remind me of how young he actually is, but how old he wants to be. Taking the picture was a permanent way to help freeze time for a moment just to remind me of how sweet and young he is and wish I could keep him that way forever.
Our son Beau, recently turned 7 and he is the most gentle and appreciative kid I have ever met. He loves just about everything and always says everything is “Awesome!” I actually record it, because I love when he just says ” This is awesome!” Recording this is a way that I am able to keep ahead of his aging process, but I know it will be short lived, but today I will hold on to it as a reminder.
As I was helping tuck our little ones into bed for the night, I was reminded of how happy and proud I am to be their Dad. I was trying to tuck in our little girl, Allie, and she wanted her brother Ethan, our youngest son (4), to lay with her. As Ethan jumped into bed he asked her, “Allie? Do you want your big brother Ethan to sleep with you?” As Ethan was half asleep, Allie reached her little hand over and grabbed Ethan’s arm and laid it across her, as if he was holding her.
I slowly slipped out of her room and I stood by the door watching Allie gently rub Ethan’s arm and thought “One more thing she is starting not to need her Daddy for… now that she is getting older” However, she was not too young to still need the love from her family. In return her family was right there to give her that love she needed, no questions asked. Logging these little moments helps me gain the secret for stopping the aging process.
As much as I want to have the secret for stopping the aging process and keep our kids little forever, I know I have to let them grow up.
For today, I will try and record every “awesome” momement I can. Because tomorrow it will change and be something new. I will try and record every laugh I can to remind me of how happy they make us and in return how happy we make them.
I will remember to be patient and enjoy every night.
For today… you are barely 8 (or 7, 4, 2…) but tomorrow you will be 18!
Love this picture of your son!
Its a great one!Growing up way too fast 🙁
I find myself wanting to capture every moment, too – not the big, once-in-a-lifetime moments (although those too!) but those everyday things that I’m going to miss so much when they’re passed. This post is beautiful!
I agree. Its the cheeky smiles you get in the morning or the way their blanket smells. I agree the big moments are the things that we highlight, but its the small things that are taken for granted. I really try to “record” as much of their lives as possible.
It’s so true! I think it’s the one thing that we all fear but are powerless to stop. We are truly blessed to have young children in our lives and it’s so important to remember it, especially when they are screaming and shouting. (I have twins who are two, a bit younger than your daughter.) It’s a tough age, but they are so cute and still so baby. We call our twins the “babies” even though they are really rather giant babies!
I agree that age can be really tough on a lot of aspects, but also the sweetest! I still call my little one Baby Girl! Now she tells me, “I’m not a baby, I’m big girl!” Good luck with the twins, my wife always wanted twins:)