Don't blink

Every once in awhile I happen to glance at my girls and notice that suddenly they've grown up a whole lot. A certain look, a comment, a different way of fixing their hair. Just something that reminds me that they'll only be little for such a short time.

Already this year, K has gotten glasses and has an appointment next week with the orthodontist. It's like she hit those awkward junior high years all at once and way too early. She's gotten a little more sassy and she's asking for more complicated information. For example, a simple discussion of what "N" stands for on the gear shift led to a discussion of the definition of neutral, neutral countries, WW1, WW2, the Lusitania, Pearl Harbor, atomic bombs, nuclear war, nuclear power plants, 3-Mile Island, Chernobyl, the power plant on the lake near us, and back to shifting gears. With some Afghanistan, Iraq, and Iran thrown in there for good measure. That's what I call homeschooling. Or rather "van schooling" since we were on our way to Bible study.

K is playing basketball with her usual all-out enthusiasm and gearing up for softball. She's asking for quarter pounders rather than happy meals. She rides her new bike around our little block all by herself and rides in the front seat of the car sometimes (it's legal here in NC). Her bunny, which was her constant companion since she was a baby, has been seen far less frequently.

Even L is growing so fast. We've been planning her birthday party as she will soon reach that all-important age of *five*. That's another story in itself. As 5 is a pretty big milestone, I wanted her to have a nice party, preferably out of the house so I didn't have to do all the work to clean and organize. We looked into painting pictures and painting pottery, but those get so expensive so quick! I figure if I'm going to spend that much per child, I want to have something they'll get more use out of. So we're having a Build-a-Bear party, which turns out to be much cheaper after all.

L has been growing her hair out since the year of the 3 self-inflicted haircuts. It has finally gotten long enough that I can pull it all back in a ponytail. She is over the moon with excitement over that and it's a great way to wear her hair all pulled back from her pretty face. But it makes her look so BIG! She's started moving past the "will only wear dresses" phase and today was proudly sporting "High School Musical pants and High School Musical shirt and High School Musical jacket". It's the effect of having an older sister.

My babies are growing up. Soon they''ll be teenagers, then moving out, then becoming mothers themselves. But there is hope. Sunday night my mother, her sisters, and one brother had a slumber party at their mom's house. These grandparents and great-aunts and a great-uncle and one great-grandmother sat up late giggling and chattering like small children. I bet my grandmother spent a moment or two reliving the days long past before she blinked and her babies were grown.