Time ...

This weekend we had our first family pictures taken.  It was the chaos you would expect from two young but mobile babies.  Luke tried to dive off everything the poor photographer put him in/on (the wagon, the step, etc) -- he was EVERYWHERE.  I believe her words were, "Wow!  He sure is a curious one, huh?"  Which I'm pretty sure was code for, "Wow, get your kid under control!"  Love it! Amelia, who has recently developed pretty significant stranger anxiety was in tears and Scott and I were trying to catch Luke, soothe Amelia and not look completely frazzled in the photos ... haha!  We'll see about that!  Well, at least they'll capture this wonderful but hectic phase of life in an accurate way!  The day was strangely emotional for me. As I was packing the babes up it struck me that they looked more like toddlers than like babies and that tugged on my heart in so many ways.  Their blue jeans, sweaters and tennis shoes made them look old.  How can that be?  They're my babies!  And that's the harsh reality of time.  It keeps going.  Or maybe it's merciful of time to continue.  Depends on who you ask and at what phase of life they're in. (Just a year ago I prayed a daily prayer of thanks that God had sustained us through one more day of pregnancy).  But for young parents it goes by entirely too quickly.  I can't believe I'm planning their first birthday party.  And yet I am so excited to celebrate the end of the infancy and begin the toddler years because it means that they're healthy and growing and becoming the man and woman that they will someday be.  I've realized that it's not possible to spend as much time with your kids as you want ... even if you're a stay at home parent, the moments are too sweet and pass too quickly.  No matter how hard I try to hold on to every giggle and snuggle ... it's gone just like that.  And so I try to hold them as gifts with an open hand.  Enjoying my children to the fullest but knowing that they will always be growing and changing and not holding too tightly to them at any phase.  Letting go and allowing them to be the people that they were made to be.  I'll let you know when I figure out how to do that :)

All dressed up!  (Don't worry, I did do something with Amelia's hair!)

Oh sweet Jane Bear ... I love you more that I could ever put into words.

I had to!  We found Amelia's at a second-hand sale and Great-Grandma Ruth send up Lukey's.  They're all dressed up here for a pre-Thanksgiving party that my parents have every year.

Luke, "Seriously ... More pictures, Mom?"

I love you my sweet babies!