I've been watching my kids grow for 11 1/2 years now. I find each stage amazing (and frustrating at times). They are a wonder to watch. I find myself filing away images in my head of them so I'll have them later.
Andrew had to stretch every time I picked him up when he was a baby. At 2 we got him a fwimsuit with floaties and he would jump off the side of the pool and fwim (not misspelled, how he would say it!). At 5, he started public school with some anxiety but the power of Mom's magic rock got him through (I had given him a shiny rock and told him that when he missed me all he had to do was reach in his pocket and hold the rock and think about me and I would know and close my eyes and think about him... After school I gripped at him cause he almost made me run off the road when I had to close my eyes. He thought that was funny). At 7, he loved his bike and I can see him zooming around the college campus asking me to time him as he rode around. At 9, he started Taekwondo. Watching him do his jump kicks, higher than his head, and board breaks... Amazing. Now he is 11. I went to cover him up during the night and he is close to hanging off the bed. His legs are looking like man legs, muscles and all. Silly me but I started crying (I know I'm pregnant but keep watching their legs and see if you don't!).
Catherine loved her baby swing. It didn't matter what age that first year she would rather be in the swing and swinging her legs. At 3 she wanted to be a ballerina. She was a chubby baby and toddler. I would look at her legs when she started dance and just smile. They looked so cute in pink tights and ballet slippers. At 5 she took off to school without a rock or a look back. She practically danced into class. At 9 I saw her leap across stage and I saw those ballerina legs. I admit I teared up.
Georgia is my knobby kneed child. She loved to stand and lock her knees on my legs. I swear she was a strong one. I don't know how she did it but she loved it and laughed when I tried to sit her down. At 2 I noticed a cafe au lait spot on her leg, an another and another. I never really worried about them until we took her to the doctor for a check up. At 3 she was diagnosed with Neurofibromatosis 1. At 5 she still has those knobby knees. She was sitting and playing with playdoh yesterday. Her knees were practically in her face. Where will they take her. And yes, my eyes got watery.
Charlotte was my short stubby baby. Her legs were on the short end of the family. I love seeing the difference in all their baby legs. She is now almost 3. I was watching her run down a hill the other day. There was no hesitation on her part. Just on my side. I'm not ready for those legs to grow up but they did.
I tree! I tree! What a wonderful number. Being 3. Kids have become this wonderful little person by age 3. The walk, talk, tell you NO!, give you kisses and cheek pats, play, run, laugh, cry, look for bandaids when I get a boo-b00, read a book upside down and so much more. I find it amazing what 3 short years can do for that little blob of human mass that entered this world with nothing but a cry to say "Love Me!". She is child #4. I know my brain will forget some of the things she does but my heart will always remember. So for her birthday, what did we do? We went to the Dr. For a double ear infection and a 102 temp. She still told them all "I tree!". Thankfully at 3 being able to share a Dora cake with a friend that is also sick, opening gifts from a friend that is a country away, and just licking the icing off the cake (cause the "cake is yucky. I like cream!" is as wonderful at turning 3.
