Lasts

We mamas tend to spend our days of little ones marking down & getting a little thrill over all the firsts. I am still counting firsts. Because my kiddos are learning right at home, I'm aware of so many firsts.

But what about the lasts? I've been thinking on this one for awhile. I have loved-loved my babies, toddlers...and now it seems they're just gone.

Elijah will be 5 in a short little month. I can hardly stand it. I never thought the day would come that my youngest child was five years old. Don't get me wrong. If you know me you'll know that I love each season, and I'm particularly enjoying these little boys these days. But it just goes so stinking fast. Eli seems to know how to speed that up. When he turned 2, he climbed up on the potty (unbeknownst to us) and did his thing, wiped his tiny hiney and flushed, proclaimed he was just done with diapers. I know, it's dreamy. But I was a little sad, my littlest boy wanted to grow up so, so fast.

and he's done it again. Yesterday, he decided he would try a bike without training wheels. Ralph was watching the boys on bikes from the garage when he saw Eli trying it on his own. "Wait!!" I said, "I have to get the camera!" but of course I wouldn't have him wait and it's a good thing, he didn't. He was off just then. By today he was stopping and starting, up on the sidewalk & two blocks down the street all by himself.

Last training wheels.

I'm so happy to see his beaming little face. He's so happy to be a "big kid," and I can't think of what would seperate the little ones from the big ones other than diapers and training wheels. Eli was cruising up to the big neighbor boys with a strut, "hey, this is my first day without training wheels" (hand on hip). Isn't this just how it's supposed to be?

But to me, it's another last. All just as it should be, but these boys, they just keep on growing.

They keep on getting faster, better, riskier, and tougher. I love it and I cry. That's fair, right? I'm a mama. I get to cry when I want to. Give me some grace, ok?

After all, this is the last of my little kids. They're turning into young men right in front of my eyes. And I must say I'm the luckiest mama on the planet...I get to spend so much time watching them grow...

...and just check out those muscles!! Not, the last...I'm sure.

And I'm happy to report that my sweet little man called to me from his bed tonight, for just one more snuggle. He wrapped his little arms around my neck and I eat it up. Far from the last of the lovey little boys. You see, my nearly 9 year old did the same tonight. :)

Okay, a few more posts of pics from our vacation below. I love to share all the pics, so enjoy!