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Everyone says that “time flies” and they “grow up before you know it“… I usually just agree, and that’s that, but not this time.  I can see it happening.  It seems as if our fourth child was just born yesterday…  Where has the time gone?  Where did that baby girl go?

Mansfield family

I feel like our first son was just heading off to Kindergarten.   I can remember how he held onto the door frame when I walked him in on that first day, and now he barely turns around as I drop him off for fifth grade.

I think that we get so caught up in it all (errands, cleaning, running from this sport to that sport, grocery shopping, cooking…) that we don’t even realize how fast time is going by.   While I am excited for our kids to be the age that they are: independent, responsible, and able to do so much…  at the same time, I can’t believe how much they have grown.

I can remember lying with our babies, when they were babies, for hours on end.  We would just lay there, nose to nose, as I listened to them breathe, taking in that little milky smell- you know the one- the scent that only a mother can appreciate and love.

I remember with our first son… I held onto his tiny five-pound ‘preemie’ body and promised God that I would love him forever.   Where did that time go?   Skip forward 13 years (in what seemed like a minute)… we now have a teenage son.  He has become precisely what I knew he could be… smart, witty, handsome, respectful, and the best big brother!  I am sad to think of the years that are gone but proud of the young man he has become.

Two people standing in a field.

Now he is having fun with his friends and his sports.  All things that are fun for him, all things that pull him just a little further from me.  He still asks me to stay and talk to him when I tuck him in at night, but I know that this time will pass and I need to enjoy it now, before the time elapses again, without me knowing.

Tonight, I watch him sleep, and I think that I am blessed to be his Mom.

Our second son is growing by leaps and bounds.   When he was born at only four pounds, I held him thinking that I had never held anyone so small.  He needed my protection more than ever. I exclusively pumped because he couldn’t nurse well enough at the start of life.  We spent countless hours doing ‘kangaroo care’ because it was proven to help babies grow.  When we learned that he had suffered some problems during our pregnancy that led to his hypertonicity and was unsure of what his future would hold, we grew to love him even more.

As my Mom says, ‘You hear people saying that they don’t care what gender their baby is, as long as it’s healthy,  but that doesn’t matter, either. ”  It’s when your baby is sick that your ‘fight’ for your child kicks in and your love grows more than you knew it could. Thankfully, he has beat all of the odds and is the most amazing person.  Thankfully, God allowed me to be his mom.

parenting

Our love for him has always been as wide as the seas and as endless as a circle.   I believe, wholeheartedly, that God put him in our lives for a reason.  I watch him now… so creative!
He spends hours in the garage, building shelves for his sister’s playhouse, stools for his (short) mom to reach things, fixing things that I’ve broken…  I watch him laugh with his brothers and carry his sister around when she tells him that her “legs are SO tired of walking.”  🙂

Tonight, I watch him sleep, and I think that I am blessed to be his Mom.

Our third son’s life seems to have flown by.  He is full of energy!  His sweet spirit is so full of goodness.  When he was a baby, I was already in the middle of being a Mom, and he was pulled right into our fun & busy life.  I didn’t have a chance just to hold him and study him all day long..  not the way that you do when you have your first baby and all the time in the world to stare at that baby.

He and I had to steal our moments together when we could.  A play session here and a snuggle session there…  a lullaby and book before bed.   He went through his first few years on the hip of his mom… as I ran here & there with that sweet boy at my side.

He looks up at me after I tuck him in, from his bed, with those beautiful baby blues and says “Mom?  Can I have one more hug?”   We just lie down in his bed and hang out… talking about school and friends.

He reads to me and answers all of my “teacher” comprehension questions afterward, with an “I’ve got this in the bag” attitude… and he does.  He’s so bright.

Two adults and a child standing in a field.

When we snuggle at night, he puts his arm around me, holding me so tight so I can’t sneak away too soon.   If I move, even an inch, he holds me a little tighter, until I tell him “Good night, my sweet boy… I love you.” and sneak away to go tuck in his brothers or sister.

Tonight, I watch him sleep, and I think that I am blessed to be his Mom.

And our baby girl… who’s not a baby anymore, but really always will be MY baby…  I prayed for her.  She will always hold a special place in my heart.   When I was pregnant with each of our children, my Grandma (now passed) would say, “One day you will have a daughter, my Beautiful Beck.  There is something special between a Mom & her daughter.”

(I know this from my experience with my own Mom).  Our baby was born after my Grandma passed, which let me know that we always had someone else watching out for her. ♥

A couple of people that are standing in the grass
When I look at our daughter now,  I wonder where this time went.    She is independent, funny, and smart.  She is growing up so fast and I am not ready for that.   She is sweet, caring, and has a fierce sense of style. 😉  She loves to sit with me and let me hold her as long as I want to.   She loves to play & dance with me. I hope that lasts…   Allie of Mine.

Two people standing on top of a grass covered field.

When I sing her our songs at night, I think about how fast time has gone for all of our little ones…  🎶

“Allie of mine, don’t you cry
Allie of mine, dry your eyes
Rest your head close to my heart
Never to part
Allie of mine.”

Tonight, I watch her sleep, and I think that I am blessed to be her Mom.

I cry to think that my babies aren’t babies anymore.   It’s hard to think that my sweet baby boys are well on their way to being kind, caring young men…

brothers

In the midst of raising kids, do we forget to focus on every day?   These years have passed so quickly.  Wasn’t I just in the hospital with my parents and my husband’s parents waiting, so eager to meet our babies?  How did the time pass so fast, even though I knew our fourth baby would be our last baby?   How did they grow up without me realizing it?  How did it happen so fast?

Making mom laugh!

It’s hard to remember how our time with our children goes so fast, but it does…    We only have 18 years with them until they are off, only 18 summers, 18 winters, and 18 birthdays.   Make the most of these moments because they seem to be going faster than we realized.
A group of people standing on top of a grass covered field

For now, I will soak up these moments:

  • I will let them get messy
  • watch them do their silly dances
  • leave the dinner table a mess (sometimes)so that I can enjoy a walk with them before bed (my Grandma taught me that one)
  • have ‘stay at home days’
  • have our special nights
  • let them have sleepovers in each other’s rooms and stay up an hour later laughing about things that they don’t think I can hear
  • wear their costumes to the store
  • Watch them play and laugh and grow
  • write down their stories and their cute little comments
  • take as many hugs and kisses as I can get… even if it is only so that they can delay their bedtime for five more minutes…

And so- my darling children… I promise not to miss a moment even while being caught up in the midst of wiping up messes, changing sheets, finding lost shoes, cleaning up toys,  running grocery store errands and doing homework with you.  I’ll try to soak up every minute because as I’ve learned, children and babies don’t keep.

 Babies Don't Keep

Time is passing us by, right now, whether we are watching it or not… 

Mother, O Mother, come shake out your cloth,
E
mpty the dustpan, poison the moth,
Hang out the washing, make up the bed,
S
ew on a button and butter the bread.

Where is the mother whose house is so shocking?
She’s up in the nursery, blissfully rocking.

Oh, I’ve grown as shiftless as Little Boy Blue,
Lullabye, Rockabye, 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 his eyes the most wonderful hue?
Lullabye, Rockabye, lullaby loo.

The cleaning and scrubbing can wait till tomorrow
But 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.
~Ruth Hamilton


Ps- Check out these one-on-one cards as a way to start connecting with your children on a daily basis.
40 days of lent cards for kids

More posts you might like:
“Mommy- will you lay with me?” 
lay with me

Hi there!

I’m Becky, a former elementary school teacher turned certified child development therapist and blogger. I work at home with my husband and together we are raising (and partially homeschooling) our four children in the Carolinas. I love diet coke, ice cream, and spending time with my family.

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22 Comments

  1. Such a beautiful post! Your baby girl is so adorable. You are definitely right about time moving too fast. When my kids were younger, I would have people tell me that all the time. I would hear them, but didn’t really believe it. Well now I do!! My little babies have suddenly become teenagers. How did that happen??? My tiny baby boy now towers over me, and wears shoes the size of boats. My oldest will be 17 soon, and only has 4 semesters left until she graduates. How can that be? It feels like she just started school. Even my youngest who used to be such a sweet little baby is now worried about her hair, wearing make up,and has epic almost teen mood swings. Make lots of memories, take lots of photos, and enjoy every minute that you can.

      1. I love the things you write. Thanks for sharing. I’m a grandmother but so much still applies.

  2. Your story brought tears to my eyes as I recalled all of those special moments with my children. One thing I always said to myself as a mother was that I must enjoy the moment I am in and not what will happen next, so therefore, I will have little regrets. Each stage in the “borrowed” time we have with our children is a blessing and as we prepare them to take off into their own independent new life, every moment of our time and love and training and teaching invested in them will help them to lead their productive lives. Only one thing I wanted to suggest you think about is that you said your baby birthday girl completed your family… I thought my family was complete when I had my second and last child, and I felt all the feelings you fear as a mother-“where did the time go”; “I want to cuddle one more time”; “Please smell like powder and baby shampoo for one more month” and then the most miraculous thing happened! My family grew. First with a wonderful son-in-law who became a big brother to my son and then one, two, no three of the most beautifully, amazingly perfect grandchildren. Then the cycle continues. It is a different relationship than being a mother, both being precious and important. I do not have to raise the babies, nor set the rules or even sign them up for the perfect sport or activity. I just get to love them. So, enjoy every moment with your babies, toddlers, children, teens, young adults and then as adults, but truly look forward to the future of these children of yours, for they will always be your babies, no matter what age. If you are blessed with grand babies, you can only experience it to describe the magic. It is kind of like the magic of when you held your first baby in awe! Happy mothering, you are amazing!

    1. That was the kindest comment that I’ve ever read. Thank you for taking the time to write that. It was so inspiring.
      I will treasure your words.

      1. You are welcome Becky. I am not at the stage you are at, nor most of your blog readers, but I have been through almost all of this and it is precious to relive it through your readers’ comments and posts. You are providing a great venue for support for mothers and you have no idea how many people you are touching. So impressive. Can’t wait to hear about the success of your new E-Book. Take care so

    1. YAY!!! Added it! Thanks. 🙂 (lol- I had put that “if anyone knows the source” thing in there for like years & no one ever knew!!) 🙂

  3. My newborn is only 3 weeks old and his legs are already growing long and strong. It amazes me because I know he will continue growing every day.

  4. God bless you and your family. I saw that graphic of the years flying by on Pinterest, which is what brought me to your post, and it brought me to tears – I was just having similar thoughts a few hours ago about my “baby” (now 5) and how she is growing up so fast, and times like when she climbed on my lap to snuggle tonight because she was tired are fleeting – you have captured my thoughts perfectly, and the fact that you are reminding yourself to stop and enjoy every. single. minute. means you are already ahead of the game! Here’s to soaking them up for as long as we can! Thank you for your beautiful reflection!

  5. Thank you for your lovely post. I’m the mom of twin 10-year-old girls and a son who will be 11 in June. Your words took me back to our tender years, and reminded me that my time with them is short. Thanks for putting it all into perspective again, so easy to forget amidst the chaos of the everyday “stuff” that needs to be done.

  6. This is too beautiful….got me so emotional
    What a needed reminder.
    I’m also a mom of 4 and run a business from home, and needless to say, my hands are always full.

  7. Lovely post. I know what you mean. My daughter just turned 17 and I can hardly believe it. Every year is a gift.
    I always remember Christopher Green saying you have a child-adult relationship for a short time, but that relationship lays the foundations for the longer time you will have an adult to adult relationship. So true.

  8. Oh, how I miss my babies! My son is 42 and my daughter 44. I long for their pudgy little bodies in my arms. I long for their funky poopy diapers and sour smelling bibs. I miss my babies to the moon and beyond… But, my god is merciful and has given me 11 glorious grandbabies. Now, eight of them live with me and my husband. I have learned my lesson well about rushing them through their life stages. Our God is truly a God of second chances. Thank you, Lord!

  9. Thanks so much for this reflection; sometimes I forget about How’s fast my boy is growing and make sad when he ask for play and I always say (just five min bc I have to make dinner ) we are doing to much sometimes and I forget the important things thanks for you words 😔

  10. I’ve never seen my kids growing. I will probably agree with an old adage–“Time flies..”

  11. I truly needed this today. Thank you for the reminder and encouragement!

  12. The way I always viewed it, you get each age for 365 days and then it’s gone so enjoy every one of those days!