Monday the kids were playing near our front window and the light was great so I ran for the camera. I snapped off a few shots of each of them before they were done with it and wandered off to play again. I pulled the pictures off the camera recently and was struck by how grown-up Max looks. I know he’s almost four, but looking at these reminds me of what a little boy he is becoming. Toddler Max is in the rear-view mirror, folks, and he isn’t coming back. And oh that squeezes my heart sometimes. I LOVE the boy he is and I can’t wait to see the person he becomes. I love seeing him grow and learn and change. But I guess it’s the nature of parenthood to carry a measure of nostalgia along for the journey. It hurts so good to think about my kids as babies, knowing I’ll never have another tiny newborn to snuggle. The baby squishiness, the little noises they make, fat little starfish toddler hands, first words, first steps, being able to make everything right with a hug and kiss. I love the baby stage, and I love the toddler stage, and I love the preschooler stage (most of the time, ha!) and hopefully we’ll find things to love about the teenager stage too. It takes my breath away sometimes to think how lucky I am to have two amazing, healthy children. I never ever take it for granted. And I can almost understand why those crazy Duggars keep having kids. Because sooner or later you have your last baby, and it’s hard to know those days are gone for good. But at the same time it’s so. much. fun living each day’s forward progress they I’d never want to keep them one age.

I love you, Maxwell and Anna. More than you’ll ever know.

Little sister photo bomb!