Monday, March 22, 2010

Big girl hair

Lately, when I look at Sierra, I don't my tiny little baby any more. I see a happy, beautiful, vibrant girl. It is wonderful of course, that we have this amazing (sometimes devilish) angel as our child, but also sad because of what she will never be again. You don't realize until you are a parent how heartbreaking and bittersweet it can be to see your children grow up before your eyes. Time just slips by so quickly. Sometimes I want to take time and freeze it, extend each second, breathe in every moment deeply and fully before letting it pass. But it doesn't work like that. Days flash before our eyes, and before we know it, our babies simply aren't babies any more. And mine isn't even two yet!! It was only just over 21 months ago that this was Sierra:

"Baby burrito," all wrapped up, a tiny little helpless munchkin.

And just 12 short months ago, she had blossomed into this lovely little babe:
Mobile and smiley and into everything, but still very much a baby.

Today, Sierra wore pig tails for the very first time. And it's so difficult to caputure her on camera because she is constant motion. If you don't act quick, she's gone! (My mother-in-law learned when she was visiting that if you hesitate, the opportunity for a picture will pass you by!) I think the hairstyle emphasized even more how much of "big girl" my baby has become. Yesterday, she had on her jacket and backpack and she looked like she was ready to be off to school (thankfully, we still have a few more years before we reach that milestone!). For now, though, the only school is the learning she does every day, reading book and looking at flowers and running around the yard learning about her world.


  1. Wait until you have another one! I swear that in the ~ 6 hours from when we left for the hospital until when she came to visit her new baby sister with my parents she grew up at least a year, probably closer to two!
    Bittersweet is definitely the right word!

  2. Love the pigtails and you described parenthood beautifully.

  3. I can totally sympathize. When I have a moment to myself, I always find myself contemplating about how Amaya is such a big girl and I am reminded of that whenever I see pictures of her former baby self splash across my computer screen. It is so so sad. I feel your heartache.

  4. I could have written every word. My daughter is 21 months too, though not enough hair for the pig tails just yet. Your post actually almost made me cry as just yesterday I was telling my DH how i want to remember every single second of my daughter being a baby and a toddler and to be able to remember it in 20 or so years. Bittersweet indeed...

  5. ...and then they are all grown up and blogging about their own motherhood. Sad but true. I'm so proud of all of my "babies."
    Savor every moment!