Goodness!
It’s like a Birthday Bonanza over here!
If I have to bake one more cupcake, I fear I will scream . . . and then eat another cupcake.
***
Daisy Mae’s verse:
“But blessed is the man who trusts in the Lord, whose confidence is in him. He will be like a tree planted by the water that sends out its roots by the stream. It does not fear when heat comes; its leaves are always green. It has no worries in a year of drought and never fails to bear fruit.”
Jeremiah 17: 7-8
I have been thinking a lot lately about how quickly my children are growing up.
And it scares me.
*Disclaimer: Please excuse this post. I am not very good at writing about anything without cracking a joke here and there. I am trying to share from my heart something that has been on my mind a lot. I hope it makes sense!
Honestly, I don’t really understand why the thought of them getting older scares me.
Fear of change?
Fear of the unknown?
Fear of teenage drama?
Fear of sass?
Fear of junior high?
I don’t know.
All I know is that the years are flying by.
It does not seem like all that long ago when I just had these two girls . . .
at home.
Interruption: I am simply taking pictures of pictures.
Classy, I know.
The days were busy.
Bottles, diapers, diaper blowouts, binkies, naps, books, songs, crying, laughing, spit-up, teething and exhaustion filled my days.
I used to long for my girls to grow up.
Just a little bit more grown up, and surely life would get easier.
I had a dream . . .
that one day, my girls would pee on their own.
. . . that one day, my girls could actually help me shop instead of riot and heckle me from their double stroller.
. . . that one day, my girls could sit in a chair and eat all by themselves without spilling anything or falling out of said chair.
Fact: Daisy Mae is still struggling through these issues.
. . . that one day, my girls would not need help wiping.
. . . that one day, my girls would not need naps.
. . . that one day, my car would not be littered with forgotten sippy cups.
The days quickly came and went.
Instead of bottles and spit-up, life became filled with baby dolls, dress-up, and tea parties.
And I found myself longing for my tiny babies again.
Maybe not the spit-up or diaper blowouts parts that come with babies, but the snuggly, smiley and cuddly parts.
Now, my girls are older.
Days are filled with homework, bike-riding, reading, singing, and coloring.
And I am desperately trying to find the pause button.
Because it is all going too fast.
And I find myself forgetting many things.
The way they felt while sitting in my lap.
The feel of their sleepy heads against my chest when we would read a book.
The warmth I would feel when they would sleep on my chest.
The sound of their voices trying to say new words.
The feel of their tiny hands while on a walk.
The quietness of the house when they were napping at the same time.
The cute way they would toddle around.
The wonder and worry while discovering my new role as mother.
And now, my Daisy Mae is 6.
She is missing her two front teeth.
She is in kindergarten.
She reads stories to her little brothers.
And she is quickly changing.
Lately, when I start to feel sad about how quickly my kids are growing up, I try to focus on the fact that I have been blessed to love them and know them for every day that God has given me with them.
So, instead of being sad that my baby girl is six, I will praise God for the fact that I have had her in my life for six years.
And hopefully many, many, many, many more.
Yesterday, I did a song tribute for Handsome Dude to the lyrics of his favorite tune.
For Daisy Mae, I will do one to the lyrics of a song that means a lot to me.
Being a mom has been one of the most amazing experiences of my life.
And it has also taught me the most about myself and grown my faith in God.
***
I stand
Amazed in the Presence
of Jesus the Nazarene.
And wonder how He could love me
A sinner condemned unclean.
How Marvelous
O, How Wonderful
and my song
Shall ever be.
How Marvelous!
O! How Wonderful!
Is my Savior’s Love for me.
Happy Birthday to Daisy Mae!
“Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moth and rust do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.”
Matthew 6: 19-21
For more blogs on the Finer Things in life, visit Amy’s blog.
i actually teared up reading this!! my pumpkin_seed turns 14 in october!! my son was just 10 when he went to heaven, so this is all new to me!! i love her so much it hurts sometimes and i sometimes wish i could go back to when she was two and appreciate it more!! 🙂 happy birthday daisy mae!! have a good time and give your mom a big hug and hold her just a little longer than normal, this day only happens once!! 🙂 God bless you guys!!
btw taylor, i love that song too!! 🙂
I was okay til I saw that sweet little picture in the swimsuits. Too precious.
There are many more ‘moments’ ahead in your role as mom. When they are young we tend to think that none will be sweeter. But some will be sweeter. Some will be harder. But there is still so much sweetness ahead. When I look at my girls I still see their ‘little selves’ underneath.
Take video. We watched some when they were home at Christmas and when we went to bed that night my husband and I both said we’d forgotten how squeaky our oldest’s voice was. And what a cutie patootie the younger one was. Video helps.
I love the song. Your girls are adorable. All your kids are. Happy Birthday Daisy Mae : )
Wow. I am living exactly what you described. I have two baby girls 17 months apart. Our life is chaos and I find myself NOT stopping and enjoying the moment as I ought. THANK YOU for helping to remind me to count my blessings.
Dang you Taylor!! You gotta warn someone when your blog is gonna make you cry in your morning coffee! I love you friend and so glad you are with me in my walk as a Christian Mother.
xoxoxo,
Bran
Well now I have to fix my above grammer (Your blog is going to make “others” cry in “their” morning coffee… whew glad I fixed that because that would have bugged me all day long~
ummm, excuse me…Did I wander over to the wrong blog? What the heck! Sentimentality? Emotion? Tears in my eyes? What is happening over here?
Loved the post, loved the photos. Happy birthday to your sweet 6 year old!
My girls are now 16 and almost 13. I miss all the things you mentioned, but what I get now I never could have imagined – hugs when I am sad or frustrated, deep compassion and understanding, appreciation for my sacrifices, partners in crime when I’m feeling ornery and jokes on my level. They are morphing from my adorable innocent babies to sweet lovely young ladies to whom I am so proud to be related.
Yes, they can still get in a mood, not follow my direction and be forced to learn life’s lessons the hard way, but then I just think about my relationship to God and how I behave the same way with him. Through them I am learning even more about how to forgive and how to repent – life is good!
Taylor ~ This is really beautiful and touched my heart. I love watching you love your family through this blog. You are an amazing woman and a wonderful mom. These kids might grow and change but they aren’t going anywhere. You are providing the glue that will keep them close from beginning to end. Well done, sister!
Happy Birthday, Daisy Mae!
Beautiful Mrs. LJ – just beautiful..
Happy Birthday Daisy Mae! Loved the pictures!
Happy Birthday, Daisy Mae!! Did your parents choose verses for you when you were born, how did you come up with that idea?
Aw, very sweet and happy birthday to miss DM! I’m still in the midst of early toddlerhood but it’s nice to be reminded that the days go by fast-and one day I may wish I enjoyed it more… Got to try to do that now 🙂 your kids might be getting older but there is still so much to enjoy with them!
Okay, seriously. Wasn’t prepared for that. But loved it, and yikes, you are having a busy week! Whenever we sing that song at church, I usually can’t sing it because I choke up! So silly!
Nicely done, Mrs. LJ!
Seriously, you made me cry. I understand completely wanting time to slow down. My kids are grown now and it went so quickly. I guess it’s just the thought that every phase, every year, every little hug is something you can treasure, but will never have again.
I will tell you that even teenagers, as hard as that can be, are a blessing too. I enjoy the adult relationships I have with my children now. (if one of them would just give me a grandbaby to snuggle with now!!)
I have no kids yet, but I can’t wait to be a mom! (I mean I can, but I’m excited…you know what I mean.)
Seriously, I was kind of choking up reading this!!
Happy Birthday Daisy Mae!
You have a beautiful family! That was a lovely post- happy birthday (X2)!
Wow, you have me in tears. What a precious post. I too have been struggling so much with how quickly my boys are growing up. It is so easy to get wrapped up in life and it is such a good reminder to just pause and take in those moments. I have so been missing the feeling of little hands and a child snuggled up in my lap. I love your outlook of praising God for each day you have with them. That is also truly one of my most favorite songs and it always gives me a heart check. We serve such an amazing God and His love is beyond comprehension! Have a blessed day with your 6 year old and treasure each moment!
Totally with you, especially since my four are in the same age range as yours. My oldest recently turned nine, and I realized that half his time at home with us is gone. Sniff.
I love what Brigitte shared about how the relationship changes and can still be as sweet, just in a different way. So much hope there, rather than all the stories of terrible teenagers.
That’s my favorite worship song. I think of those things a lot too as my kids get bigger and bigger. My little girl is 9 now and I can hardly believe it!
You wrote a beautiful post today, Taylor. As the mother of six, I know how fast they grow up. But just like Joyce said, there are many more moments of sweetness ahead.
And think of what kind of blog fodder your kids will make when they’re teenagers! : )
I feel this A LOT… I write about this feeling on my blog a lot… It is going too fast… suddenly one of my children is an adult and Sparky… my baby… is turning 15… I feel like I want to turn back the clocks… then something happens…
Like this morning when Sparky and I had coffee together and prayed together… not mother and child but two women who love the Lord, praying and studying his word together… At that moment I wasn’t “mom” or “teacher” and I caught a tiny glimpse of who she is and who she is becoming.
What a gift… do I wish I could go back… yes, most days, but I can’t wait for the next chapter that the Lord just let me peek at… it seems like a season of sweetness…
Okay Taylor, I totally wasn’t prepared to CRY reading your post! But it was beautifully written girl! My “babies” are 36 and almost 40 now, my grandbabies are 7, 11, and 19! There really isn’t anything quite as sweet as a baby, that’s true, but you will have so many more memorable times ahead. And yes, you will be stretched in ways you never imagined. But the journey is always worth it.
Thanks for making the pregnant lady cry!
But seriously, I watch my baby growing so quickly, and I want her to stop. I am so scared of the day she doesn’t think I’m cool anymore (because I remember feeling that way about my own mom).
Like you, I then remember to focus on my blessings, and remember God gave me these little gifts- and to cherish every day, instead of wishing them back again!
Just precious!
I feel the same way about mine growing up.
There is a picture in there where DM looks just like HD!
Happy birthday to both of them 🙂
My, I’m a bit teary now–thanks for that! What a sweet tribute to your beautiful little girl! My kids are 18 and 21 and I love them being mostly grownups. Yes, I remember fondly the ‘little kid’ moments, but these years for me have been the best, enjoy where you are and look forward to the future!
I am totally sobbing. For someone who cant write very well without cracking a joke you sure broke my heart with your vulnerability. This is the cry of every mom. ALthough I dont think we can say it as well as you have.
Bless you!! Bless this amazing post!! Do more of these!! I LOVE IT!
Blessings-
Amanda
Your daughters are so beautiful and your sons are so handsome. May they grow to be as beautiful internally, through faith, as they are externally. May they love the Lord with all their hearts, minds and souls.
Beautiful thoughts today, friend.
Oh my goodness, you have me in tears! Mostly because as I was reading I have said the same things about my children, you want them grown, then when they are, you wonder where it went and long for them to be young again. I have learned to treasure EVERY moment because it goes so quickly and they grow so fast, and yet each stage is new and exciting it also leaves a bit of sadness. Ugh, what mommies go through. Happy birthday to your beautiful girl. 🙂
What a change from the every day laughter but I really enjoyed. 🙂 Thanks for sharing this Taylor!
Happy Birthday, sweet girl, and tell your mama that she made me cry!
LJW, I think the same things…I look at Michaela (age 9) and I look at Eliana (age 2) and I think how can that be?! I struggle to remember what Michaela was doing when she was E’s age, but I had a baby, and was distracted. I’m grateful for pictures…they help fill in the blanks for me. 🙂
This was a lovely post.
Happy Birthday, Daisey Mae!
As much as I am tentatively stepping around the whole children leaving the nest issue, I too thank God that I was blessed to be chosen as my children’s mother.
We both have many more years ahead of us with our daughters…we’ll just grow memories with them as we and they move through the next stages of our lives.
Please remind me that I said these things when my firstborn graduates high school next year.
Beautiful post!
You have this new mommy in tears with this wistful and hopeful post. I try every day to just focus on the beauty of mothering my precious little one, and even in the midst of folding diapers and mountains of laundry, cleaning up blowouts, smelling like spit-up, having to stop everything every few hours to breastfeed, and hauling a carseat and stocked diaper bag with me everywhere we go, I am able to enjoy even these difficult moments of the early days because of frequent reminders to enjoy every minute. Amazingly enough, I really DO enjoy each minute. Four months has already gone in the blink of an eye and she will soon be 1 year… 5 years… 12 years… so much joy ahead but it is bittersweet as they learn to need us less and less.
OK, thanks – I’m crying now.
Precious! And I love that photo of your two girls at the beach .