Why I am wanting time to slow just a bit

I never said life with three kids 6 and under would be easy, or even a lot of fun at times. Nothing like an extended weekend trip 7 hours away to make me realize that life will get a lot easier in a few years!

However....

I am really enjoying the ages of my kids right now. There is just something really special about a 6 year old, 4 year old, and 18 month old!

I can say without a doubt that although I love to visit the memories of my precocious 2 year old Matthew, I have never enjoyed an age with Matthew like this one. I have said over and over again that I adore kindergarteners, and I have enjoyed every minute of this age with him. Did I say every minute? OK, most minutes!

He is fun to talk to. He has interesting questions about life. I can take him everywhere and anywhere and know that he can handle it. He loves to read and I have enjoyed watching this passion of his develop. This morning, he woke up before me and was sitting in the living room reading a Magic Tree House book about the Titanic. A boy after my own heart! He is a good brother to Thomas and ME. Sometimes, I miss the days when he said hilarious and new things every day. I miss his baby teeth and baby fine hair, but he is starting to look, act, and talk like a school kid, and that has its advantages as well!

There is something so sweet about the kindergarten year. The kids don't have tons of homework. They get to learn how to be students. I will be very very sad when Matthew is no longer a kindergartener! I have a mental picture of Matthew being a 2nd or 3rd grader and talking about kindergarteners being "babyish". For now, though, he is my special little kindergartener, and I want to enjoy every second of the last 10 weeks of this magical year.
Sometimes, I look back at pictures of my curly/tow headed little Thomas and miss him being an 18 month old. But, the kids' pediatrician has even said that 4 is a magical year! Thomas continue to gain independence but is incredibly sweet. He is able to do just about anything that Matthew can do which thrills his soul!

One thing that I have appreciated about my second child is that I realize how quickly the preschool years go. I am savoring hearing him squeal with delight when Dora or Blue comes on, because I know when he hits school, Dora will no longer be cool. Thomas is learning how to read, and how to draw. It makes me sad thinking I only have 1 1/2 years left until he starts school! I am trying to enjoy every moment.

I believe I have more pictures of each of my kids (or at least more favorite pictures) at 18 months than any other age. OK, she technically turned 19 months yesterday, but still. In many respects this is a dangerous age...all of the mobility and none of the reasoning. On the flip side, it is also enjoyable that ME is very mobile and continues to gain more and more independence. She can feed herself and she can tell me what she wants for the most part.

She is coming up with new words and phrases daily. Today at lunch, we were eating with friends and she said, "Ona Go!" She is also saying "Hold me!" I know that her baby face won't last forever and I try to memorize every square inch of it before the chubby cheeks start to vanish. And, since more than likely she is our last baby, I want to savor every second of this year.

I just wanted to write this down for the ages. The first few years of parenthood for me went by so slowly. Now that we are on a school schedule, I can't believe how fast the time has gone! In the years that come, life will possibly be a little less chaotic and I will face new challenges as the early challenges begin to ease. But for now, I want to enjoy my children as 6, 4, and 1 1/2 year olds!