After I had my third son, I thought I was done having children.
Boy, was I wrong!
That child is now nine years old, and here I am with infant TWINS…
As I go through the infant stages with the twins, I am also watching my older three boys grow up before my eyes. My oldest is 6ft tall, and he’s 14 years old!
I have found myself thinking about the baby days of my older three lately, and it brings tears to my eyes for multiple reasons.
All I did was blink!
They were babies yesterday!
When he was born, my firstborn son was huge! Weighing 10lb 9os and nearly 2ft long, the staff at the hospital laughingly told this first-time mother I gave birth to a toddler! I remember hearing someone say, “Put some sneakers on this one. He can walk to the nursery!”
Then I blinked.
He was two, and I was giving birth to his brother. Still the biggest baby in the nursery at that time, my second son was not as big as my firstborn. 8lb 10oz and 19in long, my second child looked so tiny compared to his older brother. He had so much hair it had to be cut the first time when he was merely 10 weeks old!
And I blinked again.
Three years later comes my third son, my first unexpected miracle. Even smaller, my third baby weighed 7lb 14oz and was just under 19in long. He was the perfect infant. Never fussy, always smiling and giggling, and a model child… until he found his feet. And since that day, he has been non-stop energy!
I am sure all I did was blink, again!
Here we are, nine years later, and I went from three to five children!
Just. Like. That.
Blink!
This time, I have a girl! The twins are boy/girl fraternal. She weighed 6lb 4oz and he weighed 6lb 2oz. They were a half inch away from each other in length, one 19in and the other just under 20in long. Born in the same clock minute! Around 10 SECONDS apart!
I’m trying not to blink again. Not yet. They are already five months old.
I have found that, in the process of having kids, when you have them a year or two, or maybe three, apart from each other you don’t realize they are growing as fast as they are. The stages of their growth are quickly being repeated by the one who came next, and so on.
It is completely different this time!
I look at the babies I hold in my arms (yes, I hold them both at the same time often), and then I look at my oldest and wonder where the time went! How did it go by so fast?! When did he get taller than me? How does he now sound like a grown man when he speaks?
All I did was blink!
I am so glad I am active in my journaling! I have been so scatterbrained in the past few years that things quickly escape my memory. I have pages and pages of memories written, and memories that have been kept secure for me to look back on, and someday show the kids as well. Funny moments, precious moments, and adventures we embarked on throughout their lives.
For my oldest boys, there aren’t many years left for me to enjoy with them. They will soon be moving out, going to college, joining the military, or starting their careers where their hearts may take them.
I’m trying not to blink.
For the twins, there are still many years to enjoy, but if my future moves as quickly as the past 14 years have…
I’m trying not to blink.
And I have come to realize that, whether I blink or not, time isn’t going to slow down or stop for me. So, I am striving to live in the moments, savoring every amazing day I have with my tribe.
I will take too many pictures, record the best and worst moments on video (even if the boys are discussing poop in detail, or slinging condoms filled with water around their heads calling them water balloons), and share my captured moments with loved ones.
Life is meant to be lived! In the moments! Plan for the future but remember to embrace the present.
Blink, or don’t blink, it doesn’t matter. What matters is that you SEE what is in front of you. Don’t miss it.
Much love!
Becca
