As a parent, I feel like summer has flown by. I heard a quote recently by Gretchen Rubin, “The days are long, but the years are short” and that pretty much categorizes most of my feelings as a parent. Those long days are like the past few, my kids won’t stop fighting with each other! I swear it’s over every.little.thing. ”she looked at me funny”, “he hit me”, “she destroyed the legos”, “he’s being mean to me for no reason at all”, “she’s annoying and won’t be quiet!” ENOUGH!!!
Man, I think they need a break from each other, but school starts back in just three weeks. We will make it through, but I hate to wish away time. From the quote above the days are long part is so easy to understand, but the years being short is the bigger picture – how are they already 6 and 8? How is it already the middle of July? Heck, how is it 2012?
When they were born people always love to say, “Enjoy them, this baby phase goes by too quick” and I didn’t know how to take that advice. I did enjoy it, but only as much as I could with the new normal of parenthood being lack of sleep, boobs hurting, baby crying, etc. Through every phase I have enjoyed them the best that I could, but maybe I’m doing it wrong. Right now I’m enjoying how smart they are, how much they love to play outside (trampoline, bike), I love teaching them things like playing Uno too. As an adult participating, childhood does go by quicker than I remember it as a child. Maybe it’s how many years we’ve been around that cause us to view the time differently.
Do you want to have one of those moments of parenthood clarity? Visit http://www.theyearsareshort.com/ and watch the little slideshow. I was crying by the end of it. Heck to link it here I watched again to make sure that I had the quote right and I was crying again.
I guess I’m feeling sappy today. This began as a “My kids are fighting and driving me crazy” post and then the more I wrote this topic emerged. I guess that is the better way to think about it, but when they’re fighting it sure is hard to realize that this is just a moment in time (hopefully a moment that everyone forgets about). I do remember fighting with my brother some, but not as much as my mom remembers it. The kids are playing like the best of friends right now, but one wrong move and I know it will all blow up again. I will have to re-watch that slideshow when I am at the end of my rope, it really puts things into perspective.
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Yes they sure are. It seems like just a few years ago my first daughter was born, but it was really 1988. Where did the time go? She did exactly what she was supposed to do..grow up, move out, go on to college..live her life..and I am soo happy for her and soo proud..but I miss my little girl. The one I would push on the swing at the park. It seems like yesterday I was putting her on the school bus on her first day of kindergarten, then walking home, crying like a baby the whole way. For you, know, those “firsts” will only be one. They will never happen again. Cherish every. single. one.