Eden's School Ball

When you have a baby, you hear from what seems like every single person on the planet who has ever spawned their own mini-me person, about how quickly time passes. Every well meaning old lady on the train or at the local coffee shops, goes goo-go and gaga over your adorable little bundle of noise and poop and tells you to enjoy every sleep deprived minute because before you know it, it'll be over.

And invariably you smile and nod and go home thinking how crazy those people are. That you are so busy and so tired and the days at home with little humans feel just. so. long. It takes forever to do anything with a child, how on earth could time go so fast that if you blink you'll miss it? 

Then all of a sudden, you've blinked and they are starting school. And you start to think maybe there is some truth to all those well meaning words of wisdom. But life is still exhausting, still busy and still full of washing and making dinner and school lunches and excursions and all that stuff. 

And then you wake up one day and think to yourself "Oh my gosh!! My tiny little bundle of poop and noise is finishing high school this year!!"

Suddenly you look at this person, this human who was once so small and helpless and you realise they've grown up. While you weren't looking. While you were busy with life. They grew up and became a gorgeous almost adult human being who has a whole other life that doesn't include you. She still needs you of course, but not in the same way. And now she's capable of making decisions, and has a job and a boyfriend and plans for when she finishes her 13 years of education in just a few months' time. 

You wake up and you realise you blinked.

And while I may shed tears here and there over how quickly it really does go by, and shed tears over how much their growing independence hurts my heart, there are also tears of happiness over the amazing humans that they are becoming.

They are teenagers and they most certainly have their moments, but sometimes I stop and think about the people they are growing into. And I think we must have done something right while we have been busy living and watching life go by at the speed of light, because they really are wonderful (not-so-little) mini-me people. Their independence hurts my heart, but it also makes me so very proud and I wouldn't have it any other way. I know they can go out into the world as well-equipped to face life as I could possibly get them. I know they will still be silly, and make bad decisions here and there, but I also know that my offspring are generous, good and loving people who will make their own way in the big wide world.

So now from the almost adults to the one who is in her own words "Mummy's baby girl and Daddy's little honey," here is the littlest of those people in all her way-too-close-to-turning-three glory.

Taken straight from Facebook this morning:

"Penelope, you have to have sunscreen on while you're outside."
"Ok Daddy, I can do it."
"Do you need help rubbing it in on your face?"
"No Daddy I fine."