the time I realized they're growing up

Earlier this week James got home much later than usual, so I was flying solo on parent duty getting the girls dinner, cleaned up, bathed and in bed. Quite the process let me tell you- and one I rely on James heavily for.

 

As I was getting them bathed, something James normally does while I clean up dinner, I realized it had actually been several weeks since I was the one to do that. While they were splashing around and I was trying to explain why splashing lots of water on bathroom floor was actually not a good idea (despite their best counter arguments), my thoughts nearly stopped dead in their tracks as I realized they are getting so BIG. 

Today while shopping for Easter dresses I found that 5T dresses will no longer cut it for Jillian, so we moseyed over from the toddler section to the girls department. The same department where a group of tweens actually said the words "oh em gee" out loud while looking at swimsuits. 

Kill me now.

 I also registered Jillian for her first ballet class today at a dance studio near our house- Fairy tale ballet. I'm probably going to tear up during the first class when I watch her in her little black leotard and pink shoes enthralled in her little world of make-believe, magic, and girlyness. I'm already prepared for it.

There's a kindergarten registration packet sitting on my counter with checklists and forms and pamphlets on "preparing your child for school." I'm so emotionally unprepared to even deal with that.

Olivia is growing in her own right as well. She's no longer a baby. She talks in broken sentences, "Look-ah me, Mama!" and "Lion Keem! (Lion King)- I love it!" We're full on toddler stage. She wants to do everything her sister does and I'm amazed at how much she learns from just watching Jillian.

Sometimes when I rock her before bedtime with her bottle (clearly I'm still pretending she's a baby), I'm in awe that not even 2 years ago she was the tiniest little baby snuggled up in one crook of my arm. Now her limbs sprawl off on all sides of the chair and she's heavy in my lap.

When in the HECK did all of this HAPPEN? 

Despite my best efforts to freeze time, it's actually passing at a remarkable rate. 

The days are long, but the years are fast.

So fast.