Beauty...

On a roll with editing today, so I thought I would post some pics that I took of our little beauty the other afternoon. We were having a perfectly delightful (who says delightful anymore?) hour playing on her little mat by the window, while her big brother napped. Grace is such a character and it has been so fun to see ways in which she is claiming her own personality... I already see qualities in her, even at a young five months: determination. humor. joy. strength. curiousity. I am praying that these qualities and many more continue to grow in her. I am already envisioning her as a little girl. MY little girl.

As excited as I am to see her grow up, I am beginning to turn into one of those moms that say, "they just grow up so fast."

I never really understood that comment many women would say to me when I was pregnant, even after Ben grew into a toddler and now into a little boy... It is now, that I am just starting to FEEL it... that tug on my heart that says, "I know I have to be strong and begin to let them go, little by little, so that they can become independent and strong little people in this great big world, but for heaven's sake, can I just put them in a little jar and keep them this way for a little while longer."

I have been finding that I am cherishing little moments with both of them a lot lately. Because I am being reminded, that this time... this time that I have with them... is so short. They WILL grow up. They will eventually grow up and away and I SO desire to be the kind of Mom that handles it all with grace, but WOW... does my heart get tugged every now and then! SO... I have begun to put the "sleep nazi" in my back pocket (as much as i LOVE a full night's rest), and just go in and feed my Grace when she needs me. And, enjoy that time. That 1am feeding time that we so willfully worked to wean out of Ben when he was little. She will sleep through the night eventually, right!

Here are a couple of pics of my sweet sweet 5 month old!