Freezing the Moments

Sometimes I love my children so much it hurts...

When Pumpkin said this week, "Look, I am growing fur" when he saw his arms were growing hair on them.

The squeals of delight when Squash giggles...

The pure heart of a little girl whose biggest sin of the week was saying the word "stupid" in her heart... and crying and begging forgiveness... oh, if her innocence could only last forever... if that were to be the worst word she would ever learn. In our house, "stupid" is a "bad word" - that the children are not allowed to say. Really, what use is there in the word "stupid" - who wants to hear that someone is stupid or that an object or thing is stupid... really, no use in it.... the pure heart of an innocent little girl...

I love to hear Pumpkin tell me he loves me "to the moon and back" - will he say that forever? I somehow think he might grow up and forget...

I love to listen to a 7 year old's logic of why we need to have shakes for dessert.... and why making peanut butter balls is such a good idea... and why can't we watch the Walton's tonight?

I love to hear my Pumpkin ask "what is for dinner?" when he is really asking for dessert... no matter how many times I have told him "what is for dessert?" - he chooses to use his own words...

I love to see Squash come alive... to grow from a baby that only cries, eats and sleeps... to a toddler that says: no, mommy, daddy, uh-oh... and a few other words when he wants to... To shake his head YES when we figure out what he is trying to tell us.

To see a little girl run outside to pick blueberries...

To watch a 4 year old boy learn to ride his first bike...

To see a baby learn to crawl on things... and turn the pages of a book.

Oh, to freeze these moments... to never forget them... I can't even remember 7 years ago when my baby girl was a baby... it seems so long ago... I want to remember her as a baby... but today feels and seems so real...