As Time Goes On

Yesterday, Makayla was in her first Christmas program of the season at church -

It was an hour long program featuring over 100 singers and musicians.  Makayla's little cherub choir sang "Emmanuel" and "Go Tell It On The Mountain".  They had two performances yesterday - one in the afternoon and one in the evening.  We were lucky enough to bring the video camera to the afternoon performance to capture Makayla's wonderful stage presence.  During the entire first song, "Emmanuel", she held her dress above her head for all the audience to see her undies and sucked her thumb.  SUCKED HER THUMB!...Makayla doesn't suck her thumb!  Never!  Who was this girl?!

She claimed she held her dress up and sucked her thumb because she was nervous...hmmm.

Even though she made me laugh to the point of tears, it's still a little embarrassing when your child displays a behavior in public - on stage - that they don't ever display otherwise and after we talked to her and 'calmed her nerves', the evening performance was 100% better!

When we got home after the first show, we watched the video of Makayla singing on stage at church, showing off her underwear and sucking her thumb.  She thought she was the funniest thing in the whole world!  Of course, Makayla and Mason loved seeing Makayla on the TV and wanted to see more, so we hit the rewind button and watched a couple of months of home videos.  

The kids were sitting on the couch beaming as they watched themselves on TV!

...and that's when I couldn't hold back the tears!

We didn't even go back to when Makayla and Mason were babies.  We just went as far back as their birthdays - 3 months ago - and I still couldn't control myself!

...my little girl, on her 4th birthday, bouncing around in her little yellow dress!

I can remember that day like it was yesterday - we painted her nails gold for her "golden birthday", turning 4 on the 4th.  She decorated her own cake, opened a couple of presents, and smiled ALL day long!

...my little boy, on his 2nd birthday, having the time of his life!

As we sang "Happy Birthday" to him, his giggles filled the air!  He loved singing "Happy Birthday" and blowing his candles out.  In fact, he loved it so much, we did the whole thing TWICE!  We did it twice for him, as it made him so excited, he couldn't contain himself - clapping, laughing, and blowing out his two candles before we could even finish the song! 

The home videos made me so emotional because those days are gone, days that I want to hold onto forever...days that scare me to let go of because I can't imagine my babies growing up. And I know that's silly to say because they WILL grow up, but it's so hard to know that one day, they won't be little anymore.  Makayla and Mia won't be my little girls that I can hold in my arms and Mason won't be my little boy that will snuggle on my lap.  Time is fleeting!

Already, Mia is a month old! (Happy One Month Birthday, baby girl!)

As time goes on...

 I won't have a baby to lotion up after bath,

I won't have a little boy in his sweet, sweet voice say "Hi, mom!",

I won't have a little girl who can tell me the story of Mary and Jesus (though the mind of a 4 year old),

I won't have little monkeys jumping on the bed,

I won't have the magic of Christmas,

I won't have a messy, toy-filled home,

But I know one thing is for sure...we will always have JOY and happiness!

I'm so thankful for this blog, as it holds soooo many precious memories.  It holds so many moments, events, milestones...times that I am able to look back upon and not be sad that these days are gone, but be happy that they happened.  Be happy that I can call these days mine. I am so thankful that I can use this blog as a place that allows me to see all the blessings in my life.

Because my kids won't be little forever, I make it my number one priority to live each day for them and with them.  Each day is an opportunity to love them - to teach them - to hug them - to kiss them - to pray with them and for them - to enjoy them - to hold them - to make memories with them...a day to cherish and to use it to the fullest.  And that's just what I plan to do - from baby to adult hood.  There's so much that happens in my children's lives and there's SO much more to come and I'm not going to miss out on a single thing!