Where Does The Time Go?

There are those moments in your mom life when you realize that time really doesn't stand still--no matter how hard we try to make it possible.  In between the big moments such as sending our first child off to elementary school or watching our youngest get his driver's license, our days are filled with tiny events that serve as stepping stones towards our children becoming grown-ups.  We should really relish in these moments, but truth is, they usually occur in the midst of our crazy lives and we fail to not only acknowledge they are happening, but to see their significance. 

It happened to me just this week as I took my daughter to the orthodontist.  When we walked into the office Hanna went up to the appointment desk, typed her name into the computer and promptly headed to the bathroom to brush her teeth.  All of this happened without any assistance from me--the person who has been responsible for not only making every doctor appointment of her life, but standing by her side for every shot, X-ray and medical conversation.  It is just a small sign of her growing independence and a quick reminder of just how short our time as "mommies and daddies" really is.  

This week's event prompted me to think of other moments when I felt the sting of growing up:

• Your preschooler stops kissing you in front of his friends.
  
• Your youngest leaves you standing on the sidewalk as he walks fearlessly into his new school.
  
• You watch on the sidelines as the coach tends to your child's injury.
  
• You let your daughter go to the movies (or the mall) with her friends--alone.
• Your child is taller than you, wears the same shoe size as you, etc.
  
• When challenging your child to a sport of any kind, they suddenly beat you--fair and square!
  

There are so many more moments of life I could list, but to tell you the truth, I have tears in my eyes just writing the ones I've listed above.  Growing up is a bittersweet experience--as much for the parents as it is the kids.