Hard to believe that May is just around the corner. Where did the time go? The snow just melted and winter clothes have not even started to gather dust yet. Time is a fleeting commodity that can be so undervalued as life moves forward.
We all have our day-to-day lives that are full of jobs, chores, meetings, tasks and of course the fun stuff that is hopefully filling in the gaps.
As a parent, time seems to move at a much faster speed. This is especially noticeable when you have young kids. Our youngest, Charlie is two. He is changing literally by the day. His talking has exploded. His personality is blossoming. His days of being a toddler are vanishing before our eyes.
With our first son, in the back of our minds, I think we always figured there would be a second kid. So we were not as concerned about soaking up the toddler years as much.
Now, you can never say never until some procedures are done, but my wife and I are probably on the last weeks of toddler-hood. Charlie is a little man now. He walks and talks and even is using the toilet. His independence is growing by the day and if I stop to think about it, I get a little sad.
The days of carrying him around are coming to a close. The days of that cute mumbling are ending. The days of having any attachment to a baby, well…I won’t say it. I am sure my wife will read this and put up a fight.
My point in all of this is to enjoy it. Spend all the time you can with your young guys and gals. They are not going to be like this again.
Take a moment to slow down your busy life and just be there with your kids. With work, school, sports, parties and other events, the days can go by in a blur. It’s such a treat to sit and read a book, or play on the floor with LEGO, or even dig into the giant clothes bin to recycle stuff that does not fit any more.
Man, we did that last week and just seeing Charlie wearing clothes that Harry used to wear, it gets to you. Where is the time going??
Our little guys are becoming big guys quickly. We are proud of how they are turning out. It is such a fun journey to be on. I know kids can be hard. They don’t want to eat dinner, or listen to your wisdom or even pick up after themselves, but it’s all part of the process.
I get to walk my boys to school and pick them up each day. It’s such a special time that I will miss. Even when we are all tired and nerves are fragile, it is cool to know that one day they will remember back to when dad walked them to school and talking about lunch and what they did. It is the simple things you need to enjoy for what they are.
I love the simple times. The boys have become such tight brothers, it’s a pleasure to watch their bond grow stronger each day.
So enjoy the birthdays, milestones and big changes. Those are special for sure. But don’t let the speed of life take those smaller moments away. Eat dinner together, go for a walk around the block, dig out some old toys or even just stop to tell your kids they are awesome.
Don’t miss the moments because before you know it, they are seven, then 10, then in high school and off to college. I know those days will be amazing, but for now, I am going to cherish all the moments of our boys who are two and five (going on six and 10).
