The End of the Baby Stage

Even though I still regularly refer to Charlie as "the baby", in actuality we are only hanging on to the baby stage by our finger tips around here.  Other than the fact that Charlie sleeps in a crib, isn't potty trained, and still uses a pacifier, we're all "big kid" around here.

I'll admit it, I often get wistful when I see tiny baby clothes in the store or I hear another pregnancy announcement.  I'm still somewhat mourning that stage in our lives.  It's strange that it's over forever for us.

But at the same time, this new period in our lives is equally fun and exciting.  It is such a wonderful feeling knowing our family is complete and whole.  There is a freedom that comes with having a toddler and preschooler.  It is way easier to go out...and requires way less stuff!  I can communicate with my two girls now instead of having one-sided conversations with a newborn.  I can really play with the girls, or get things done while they independently play.  We all sit at the table together and eat for the most part, the same dinner.  I can tell them to do things, and they actually do!  Well, most of the time.  We can do activities together and I can really teach them things.  And well all sleep a whole lot more than before.

But my absolute favorite party of this "big girl" phase is seeing each of their personalities come out.  When Skip and I would hold each of the girls as newborns, we would speculate for hours on what kind of people they would each become.  And it is so wonderful to start to see the people they are turning into.  There really isn't anything else like it.

So while there are few things better than the smell of a brand-new squishy baby, this big kid stuff ain't too bad either.