Long days, fast years

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I was making Daisy’s bed this morning, going about my business in a quick and efficient manner, the way that I do in a blur in the mornings…calling out deadlines for the TV off, breakfast to be eaten, spelling words to be done, when I pulled the doona tight, plumped the pillow and added in the extra pillow in front of the pillow and realised that it’s been some time now since I saw a stuffed animal in the bed with Daise. Huh. I wonder when that happened?

Yesterday afternoon I sat down at the dining room table, filing out the forms for Harper to attend Kindergarten at SCHOOL next year. Huh. When did that happen?

There’s the changes in your child that you notice as a parent: a milestone or achievement that you have been working towards for a while. Like last week when we finally got to say goodbye to pull ups at night and I can no longer go past the baby aisle at the supermarket. There’s the spelling words that seem to get harder each week, the maths problems that are more complex that makes you realise that each week the changes are happening. It can take a photo of your child, an outfit, a hairstyle that will open your eyes to the growth that happens that pass you by each day.

Harper has grown up SO much in the last few weeks. I don’t know why, or what the impetus has been, but she doing everything by her self-es. She is writing, trying to read, eating up everything in the world around her. It’s a joy to watch. Daisy is too, stubborn and determined in her own way, resisting our direction and trying to steer her own course.

These long days.
These fast years.

Our girls, they are growing. And fast. And there is nothing I can do about it. Maybe hold on a little tighter when they let me?

Have you noticed a big or small change in your kids lately?
A loose tooth? Toilet training conquered? Sleeping through the night? A good test result?
I am REALLY excited about these pull ups…think of the money I can spend on cake!

Comments

  1. Clint and I were just talking about this last night. Since we got back from Italy the kids have just seem to have grown – they seem older and bigger and just something. Darbs is talking the leg off a chair (and has become a big dobber) and the girls, well they are just so big.
    It’s funny how it just seems to happen.

  2. oh Beth – when we had 3 under 3.5yrs and i wanted to return a child a wiser friend whispered those words to me ‘the days may be long but the years are fast’. And funnily enough we got through all intact. i squeeze my precious ones a little bit harder whenever i think of it!

  3. So my 4.5yo has just seemed to grow up in the past few weeks, he’s less grizzly, defiant and maybe might be okay at school next year, I’ve been worried because his behaviour as been all over the shop, but maybe it was just a phase…. I’m sad that my baby will be 3yo in 2 weeks…

  4. Yep. Both my boys are growing in a blink. My baby now 14 months is a real dealo person with a full personality and don’t even get me started on the 4 year old. Every day there is something new learned. Time just doesn’t apologise. It forces us to notice or it’s gone.

  5. katie clews says

    yes, I’m feeling the same with my daughter Poppy who is now 5.. very independent, can do EVERYTHING on her own.. Her big brother, who is almost 8 growing into a fine young man.. Still not lost his first tooth and is desperate to be an adult! Time is whizzing by, even though some days seem long.. time is precious and we need to grasp each moment and hold on tight πŸ™‚

  6. I’ve noticed changes in our fur baby in recent times. He now listens to us (for the most part), doesn’t wee on our polished concrete floor and gives us way more cuddles than he used to as a hyperactive little pup. We’re still as smitten as ever though, so clearly some things don’t change.

  7. Beth, I have two girls the same age as yours & this really tugs at my heart strings! My baby is off to school next year too & my big girl has just turned 8 & sounds exactly like Daisy! In fact, I think our girls would get along splendidly!
    Amongst the day to day madness I’m trying desperately to treasure the last few months I have with my little one before she starts school. I’m also in a state of denial about the whole thing!

  8. Lisa Mckenzie says

    It does go fast those young years ,my advice to you is yes hold on tighter when they give you a cuddle Xx

  9. we had our 3rd child at his HIGH SCHOOL- yes what even?!- last week.
    next year the MAJORITY (yes caps required) of my five children will be in HIGH school.
    One of them doing his VCE?!!!!!!
    sheesh.
    i totally must be growing up.
    so so old……..

  10. Lovely post Beth. My darling Ella ran up to me the other day and just said ‘I love you Mummy’. Cue melting heart. When did it happen that she knew saying those words would simply make my day, week, life?

  11. My middle daughter is filling out Uni applications!!! How did that happen??? Two girls that have licences!!! Lucky I had a surprise baby nine years ago so not all finished yet…

  12. Gorgeous post Beth and just brought a tear. The wording is perfect, where did the years go? Three kids with the middle one finishing high school this year…those years went so quickly but at the time the days were bloody long ones x

  13. Oh yes I have noticed change lady, you remember we talked about not waking up at night last year sometime? Well, it has happened at almost 7.5 years of age she has been doing full night’s sleeping in her own bed, in her own room, under her own doona for over 4 weeks. Just last night I told N I kind of miss seeing her in the mornings. I know that sounds silly, but he reminded me I don’t miss the lack of sleep. Growing up is hard to do!

  14. My baby girl turned 1 last weekend, and I think I’m still in denial…. She hardly needs me anymore! She’s walking, and loves doing everything on her own! Time goes too fast! It’s such a pull of happy/sad emotions watching children grow and develop.

  15. As of this Thursday I will be the parent of two children that are in double digits. WHEN DID THAT HAPPEN? It was only yesterday I was still buying nappies and now, they are SO grown up. It makes me sad, proud and happy all at once.

  16. Oh a life with no pull ups at night (or whenever Miss 4.5 nods off for an afternoon nap). That would be wonderful !!!

    She soooooo does not want to wear them anymore however they are wet every morning…..any tricks or tips you can pass on?? Someone suggested knickers and a pull up over the top so she feels the wetness more…I’ve been cruisy about it but as she creeps towards 5 years old I am thinking I might now need a plan. Might have to try the old reward chart. Or maybe she just isn’t ready??? who knows !!!

    Very happy for you though – TOTALLY understand your excitement – congratulations xo

    • I am no expert with this business…with toilet training especially I have just found that any expectations and hopes I have are unrealistic ones I have created myself based on NO experience or consideration for the child! So I just gave up. With Daisy it was one holiday away with all her cousins and she saw no one had pull up’s on and that was it! She was just under 4 when that happened. With Harps I have just waited. And waited. And waited. She really wanted to but same as you, kept getting wet ones every day. I knew she would discouraged if we started so we just stuck it out and then we had almost 2 weeks with them being dry. I cut out all drinks before bed. Toilet before bed and then we just had a crack one night…and it worked! It’s been just a week now and we’ve had 2 wet beds but she’s doing really well and is SO proud of herself. So my advice is just wait until she is ready…and she will be! Good luck πŸ™‚

    • There’s sooo much to this topic. Every child is different but wanting to be dry is definitely the first step. There are important reasons why some kids manage fine and some don’t. I’ve been through it with both my kids (and still trying with my son). Google “the dry night” by the continence foundation. A booklet especially for parents. Good luck : )

  17. My kid just got a JOB!! A freakin’ JOB! She’s 14 and they will PAY her straight into her bank account! Sheez! Luckily I still have a 10 and 9 year old to just be little for a bit longer, Imma gonna start putting bricks on their heads!

  18. This scares me greatly. I hold Eleanor close after a feed and whisper to her ‘don’t grow up’. She’s so big. She’s so little. I remember distinctly at ten days old she looked me square in the eyes after a feed, REALLY looked at me, and she looked different all of a sudden, all of a sudden OLDER and different and I got a glimpse of the little girl she will become. And I cried and cried and cried. Oh dear, here it comes again…

  19. We have her self-es and uver-ses (others) in our house too. My baby girl goes off to Prep next year and my husband is convinced I am procrastinating with the enrolment forms. But he’s totally wrong, I know what I am doing, I have done this five times already! It’s only going to take me five minutes and a box of tissues to get these darn things filled out. I really don’t know where the years have gone, but today she helped me make jam drop all by her self-es. Don’t you love it.

  20. I haev child no 1 going to high school next year!! How did that happen -??

  21. Hooray for no nighttime nappies. We’re a ways off yet, but there’s a time in the not-too-distant future, where I might stop touching other people’s bottoms for a good while. This pleases me!

    Long days and fast years is the perfect way to describe it. I wonder how they will have changed when I return from my five-day Problogger absence?

  22. My baby will be starting high school next year. My big eyed toddler that had strangers stopping me at the shop to comment on her gorgeousness has turned into a stroppy pre teen. Where have the years gone ?!? It feels like all I did was blink & she has grown up πŸ™

  23. I’ve noticed things a lot lately, like, the sudden improvement in my daughters speech or how much she understands. Someone find a way to slow it down!

  24. It doesn’t stop at a small age. My beautiful girls are nearly 24 and 21 and I see confident, independant women, living in a big city away from us, who bring news of promotions, acceptance letters for grad year (Nursing), tales of work days and night shifts. Where did those years go when I had a Daisy and Harper (except mine are Kirby and Brianna) who were seven and four? So many milestones, first, truimphs along the way. Enjoy these little changes and long may they continue.

  25. It’s amazing how it just hits you somedays how much and how quickly they change and how part of you just wants to stop time and hold them close to you forever, until someone breaks the daydream with a whine or demand lol. 3 of mine have shot up lately and my baby has gone from struggling through her first 2 terms at school to actually properly handling it….I am loving listening to her new found love of reading and watching her writing as much and as often as she can. Beautiful words about your gorgeous girls πŸ™‚ xx

  26. Oh yes! Long days, short years. After homeschooling for 4 years we are getting ready to send our kids back to school in Year 10. YEAR 10! My baby boy is taller than his dad. I just bought my baby girl adult size clothing. WTF? Have you heard John Mayer’s Stop This Train? I defy you to listen to it and not cry.

  27. At the dentist last week, she mentioned my youngest had her first loose tooth. It hit me last night while she was curled up beside me with her hair all over my pillow that this was the last time we’d have a “first” lost tooth. I can’t describe how much I’m going to miss that baby-toothed smile…

  28. Yes! So many changes. Our baby girl was 3 months this week and I have to keep reminding myself to pay attention to the milestones. I’m extra conscious because we’re talking seriously about not having any more than the one baby. Yikes!

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