Sometimes I really mourn the loss of "the baby years." I remember holding those little newborns like it was yesterday. The sweet baby smiles and napping with a baby snuggled up on your chest...it's heaven.
But even though I get those feelings just like any mom does, I'm really loving the fact that my kids are growing up, too. My kids are 6 years old (my son) and 4 years old (my daughter) and they are so much fun right now. My son has developed a love of baseball which has been so much fun for both of his baseball-loving parents. My husband is loving playing catch in the backyard with him and I had a great "date night" with him on Friday watching the Royals play the Cardinals on TV. Just last year he was too young to enjoy sitting through a whole game but this year we've already been to two Royals games and he had a blast watching the game and learning players names and the rules of the game.
And I took my daughter, who is girly-girl to the core, to get her first pedicure with my mom on mother's day. It was such a special afternoon for us...the three of us girls sitting together chatting and getting a little pampering. My daughter loved every second and was tickled pink by her glittery toenails with the little flowers on the big toes.
There is just something really special about the age when your kids are old enough to enjoy the things that you enjoy. Yes, I have loved playing Candyland, driving Hot Wheels across the floor, and drawing with sidewalk chalk with them...but that was mostly me doing things that THEY enjoyed. And there are still a lot of things that we do together that are just their interests. But the older they get, the more fun we are all having together. Do I miss snuggling them as little tiny babies? Sure. But I love having my two big kids to hang out with just as much!