growing up

i remember days of my childhood when i would come home from school, change into one of my sister's professional suits and head downstairs to our basement where my own classroom was set up. i would teach my fictitious students for hours, surrendering my place behind the makeshift podium only when dinner was ready. when school became old hat, i would switch my play area to a grocery store. a restaurant. a make-up counter. or a house where i would have babysitters come over to watch my kids while i ran some errands. i liked being the adult. but i also spent hours with my barbies, too. i managed to find a balance between childhood and grown-up-ville.

fast forward many years. i graduated undergrad in 3-and-a-half years. i went on to graduate school and finished in 2 years. i had my masters, my first real grown-up job and was married by the age of 24. i had my first baby at 28 and my second at 31. and now i look at my life and i want to relish in all the aspects of childhood once again with my girls. i want to color. i want to play with my strawberry shortcake dolls my mom held onto from my younger days. i want to bake cookies and muffins and cupcakes. i want to celebrate all the little things in our average days. i want to ride bikes to the ice cream store. i want to bottle up the awe and wonder of youth and hold onto it for eternity.

i marvel at how harper now plays pretend mommy with her babies, and chats and texts on her phone, sounding so adult as she perfectly imitates the uh-huh's and oh yeah's and really's that litter my own conversations. my heart swells when she kisses and hugs her sister and uses her best mommyease voice to say hello little one, are you going to smile for me? there seems to be some regression on my part and some advancement on her part. and i'm all for it. i'll go back and relive my youthful splendor and cherish it this time through harper and crosby. and oh, how i love watching them grow. the problem solving that comes with daily struggles and learning how to figure them out on their own. the rush of language and development at an exponential pace. the independence that emerges and seeps into our routines.

just look at how fast this bean is growing!

before we know it, she'll be in the driver's seat for real. this moment completely reminded me of this commercial and how i tear up each time i see it. i need plenty more play dates with her before i'm ready for that.

here i am taking a picture while she's activating the onstar emergency button. i had to calmly explain to the operator, nope, no emergency here. just my daughter accidentally pressing the button. sorry!

and talk about growing up. this little blondie in the middle turned 4 last week.

hunter celebrated with his friends at a batman-themed event at an indoor treehouse- complete with slides and climbing and lots of cake. what's not to love about batman, no matter how young or old you are?

i just love the pure joy and happiness that overtakes children at birthday parties. that is, until it's time to go and then shear meltdown sets in.

hunter asked everyone to stop midst our initial round of happy birthday to announce that harper wasn't singing. (he kept a close eye on her) so we started up another chorus, making sure we were all participating.

and an even more official sign of growing up- harper's teacher from school got married and we celebrated with her saturday night.

oh to be a child again. while i truly do have a very rewarding career, it has been nice being home with my girls the past 4 weeks. especially when i can capture moments such as this...

and this...

no fret- she wasn't alone on the changing table. harper just sidled up to us.

i have always longed to be a mom. and i count my lucky stars every night that we have been blessed with two beautiful and healthy girls. so many times, i have to stop and remind myself to look around and remember the moment, because these days go by so fast, and they grow like weeds. case in point, this one will be a month tomorrow...

and this one turns 3 in only a few short months...

we celebrate easter this weekend and all the giddiness of egg decorating, egg hunting, basket searching and candy eating that goes along with it. harper has been asking for months for the easter bunny to bring her a buzz lightyear. we'll find out if he's been listening.

lots of exciting moments to be had this weekend. wishing you a happy and beautiful easter.