gone are these days

I've been looking through old picture files lately and I can hardly stand it.
My baby has gotten so big. I carry him on my hip and cuddle him with his blankets. But carrying and cuddling cannot stop time. He is changing from less of a toddler and into more of a big boy.
In fact, we have a chart of stickers plastered on our fridge that makes it official.


It turns out that stickers are very motivating for my little blondie. He shed his diapers and is now wearing big boy underwear. They look adorable on his little bottom gracing his still chubby thighs; one of his only baby traits left. And while I know I should be cheering and having a diaper burning celebration, I'm sad to say goodbye to those days. For the donning of big boy undies marks the end of yet another 'last'.

oh, August you've proved almost too much for me.



We've bid farewell to the crib. The start of something new is always exciting. Everyone in our family was excited to pick up this big boy bed and set it up for William. He and Henry snuggled right in throwing blankets and pillows on it and cuddling up even before I had time to dress it properly with sheets.

And Bert quickly found her place cozied up next to William wrapped in blankets with her head resting on a pillow.



With all of the excitement of yet another first, I can't help but think of the utterly tear-jerking book 'Let Me Hold You Longer' again and how the precious lasts pass all too quickly. Now another marker of William's big boyhood is firmly in place. His crib sleeping days are behind us. Time is marching on the way it does and his squishy thighs and dimpled hands are some of the only things that remain of his babyhood. I am proud of the sweet little boy he is and look forward to all that he will become. But I can't help but want to hang on to those lasts just a bit more. So I will continue to tote him on my hip as long as he will let me and snuggle him with his blankies on the couch. I know time is marching on and these sweet days of carrying and snuggling and still sometimes rocking to sleep are a precious few.