3/52- At Home

Most of the days around here are spent inside our tiny apartment playing around on the ground in front of this big red couch. Raleigh likes to look out the window and wave at people as they walk by as she calls them all "dada!" She's 16 months old and sometimes I have to remind myself that she's not the tiny baby she was not that long ago. Its making me tear up at the thought of it. Its the weirdest thing to me not being able to distinguish when the exact time was that she transitioned from baby to this toddler stage. Maybe it was when she started running to me when I'd ask her for a hug. Maybe it was when she started to learn how to climb up on a chair. Maybe its when she started trying to swaddle her sisters in a blanket like her mom does. Maybe its when she started choosing not to listen and run away when I said "come here." Maybe its when she learned to stack blocks a foot high and knock them down in excitement. Maybe its when she started dancing in the kitchen the minute she heard music playing. Maybe its when she learned the concept of "clean up your toys" or started telling me she wants to go to bed. Maybe its somewhere in between or a combination of them all that have been growing her into a little girl. A girl with the sweetest heart, the cuddliest snuggles, the funnest personality, and the most entertaining imagination. Sometimes I watch her sleep and I swear I can literally see her growing before my eyes. She'll wake up the next morning and look and inch taller and develop new vocabulary over night that make me wonder how on earth it happened that fast. 

Even though our days look the same most of the time, I'm thankful I get to be the one that spends every minute with my girls. I can easily, and often do, get caught up in the thoughts of wanting to be somewhere else, doing something else, or even being someone else. But the truth is when I think about those things, there really is nothing that brings me more joy than being their mom. Even in the mundane, repetitive, not so fun moments, I'd choose to be with them over and over again. I know these moments of them growing up are flashing before me at lightning speed. So when I realize its happening, when I see how they're growing and know that its only a glimpse I'm doing my best to stop myself and take it in so I won't miss it. I don't want to miss it. And I wouldn't miss it for the world.