Growing up

Day 29 of the November photo challenge isn't my favorite topic: growing up. Being a grown up has some perks, but mostly it sucks. There are bills and jobs and the chores are never ending. You get to have kids, which is awesome, unless they're being buttheads, which happens more frequently as they get older. Then you have to forego the fun in order to discipline or lecture or otherwise teach them a valuable lesson.

The best and worst part of growing up is watching your kids grow up. It goes so fast. It's magical and awe inspiring and hands down the greatest thing in all the world. But it's sad, too. It's sad when your baby is a cuddly, lovey, sweet smelling tiny person one day, then you blink and they've got b.o. and roll their eyes at you constantly. It's sad when you wake up one day to realize they've grown another clothes size and are that much closer to moving out. Each day takes them closer to independence, which is wonderful and frightening all at the same time. Weren't they just born?! Didn't you just bring them home from the hospital?! Now one is in full swing tween mode and the other is about to start walking. They've both got interests and opinions of their own, completely separate from yours and you wonder where the time went and why it went so fast.

I suppose the best part is that each day they're getting older, you're that much closer to being a grandparent. I hear that's the reward for putting up with the sleepless nights, poop everywhere, barf on your clothes, and the endless piles of dirty laundry and dishes. But I'll let you in on a little secret: as much as it can get tiresome, I'd take the piles of dirty laundry and toys everywhere for much longer, if it meant keeping my babies from growing up so quickly.