And Another Year

Ari's Last Day Being 3

We so much wanted them to grow...so they could communicate, could understand, could stop crying, throwing tantrums, hanging on our pant legs. So we could carry less and less snacks and sippy cups and diapers in our bulging bags. We so much wanted them to grow more and more independent...so they could play alone for maybe a whole 15 minutes at once...and we could finish fixing dinner.

However.

Life has a funny way of leading you to irony.

Now, I can't help but feel a wave of melancholy as each birthday arrives...fighting the urge to push them back down those few inches to the stature they possessed a year ago.

"You mean my baby's going to be 4? Well."

Last year the surprise gift was a toddler scooter. This year it's two-wheeler with training wheels. Almost feels like next year they'll be asking for the car keys.

As I ruminated on Ally's birthday, "Slow your grow, kid. Slow your grow."