They Grow Up Too Fast?

I feel like kind of a jerk about this one. I feel like the only mother in the world that must feel this way. I feel like people will think it means I love my children less than others love their own. I swear I love my kids and I love every day with them and I do treat it like a gift (when I can remember to).

Even still, I just can't get behind the main sentiment of motherhood, one of the sayings that is supposed to bond all mothers to their babies and to each other, something everyone should basically be able to agree on, shaking their heads and brushing a tear from their eyes.

"They grow up too fast, don't they?"

"Why do they grow up so fast?"

Really? Am I alone here? I have never said that, not once. Not ever. Call me hard-boiled, but every day gets me farther from this toddler nightmare. Every day my children increase their abilities to reason and communicate just a tiny bit. Every day, they get bigger.

And I, for one, am thankful.

I know this is wrong. I know because when someone says the growing up fast thing to me at the super market or at the bank and I smile and reply, "Yup! They sure are, thank goodness!" I get weird looks.





I don't know. Maybe I'll regret this when they're 5 or 15 or 21, but from where I'm standing, every step toward cognizant behavior makes for a good day. These kids can't grow up fast enough. I love my three year olds, I do. That doesn't mean I want them to stay three. No sir. And when they were preemie infants, I didn't want them to stay babies, either. I prayed for today just like today I pray for two years from now.

I want my kids to grow. The faster the better. Go, babies, go!


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