As the time flies by I’m constantly being reminded to enjoy this stage as all too soon it will pass and my little ones will no longer be little. As many have told me there is a bittersweetness to your last child and I can clearly see how this holds true. My baby girl is now 5 1/2 months old and I’m watching as she grows from tiny newborn, to baby and all too soon it will be toddlerhood. She’s already eating far too much rice cereal in a day and trying hard to “play” with whatever we sit in front of her. She’s a wonderful fourth baby and too entirely sweet. As I watch her grow and learn I am allowing myself the opportunity to both enjoy and grieve these amazing transitions. I find joy in seeing her discover and begin to understand her world. I appreciate that once she is out of diapers I won’t have to change anymore dirty pants and find myself facing middle of the night feedings or any other nighttime activity engaged in by babies. But for the most part I find myself shedding a tear or two here and there in the reality that I will never again experience the sweet moments of tenderness holding a completely satisfied, snuggly newborn, or nourishing a little life as only a mother can, or hearing the quiet mewlings of a tiny baby. It is on to the world of mischeviousness and “real” parenting. Letting go and teaching how to do things on their own. I may find myself more and more often wishing for those days when I could simply gather them in my arms to quiet their simple protests.

For the moment I will try to simply enjoy the wonderful moments of babyhood that will come with my last little munchkin and love this beautiful little girl that God has blessed me with. In all honestly I will truly eat my words of mockery towards my own mother in her “mothering” of my baby brother because only now have I truly understood how much that last little one can bring so much rich emotion into your life and the changes of perspective that come with the last little chicken entering the big, wide world.