Olivine likes to point out how long her legs are or remind you that she is not so heavy when wanting to be carried. We hardly take her stroller anywhere, she is wearing underwear all day, and not wanting to sit in a booster or highchair ever (because her brothers don’t). There are many times a day I hear “me- big girl!” Today it was because she wanted to go to swim class (for threes and up), kick the soccer ball (couldn’t keep up with Henry), ride with Joe on his bike (he couldn’t find her helmet),  take a shower rather than a bath (I gave her a bath), and climbing out of her crib three times without help. We can hardly keep up is what I am trying to say.

Honest confession: I don’t want to keep up. This last of my babes has sprouted much faster than the others. I want a baby to hold and cuddle and carry in a sling. I am having difficult recognizing the family with three kids. Didn’t I always have a baby, either around or growing inside?

I can’t hold time back or reverse it. I can only find moments where I give in. Tonight was that moment. I hate the idea of her being able to climb out and run around and maybe get hurt. So rather than sleep lightly to listen for an escape, Joe quickly took the bars off and converted her crib into a bed.The boys love the “couch” and she is within reach of the floor. As I tucked her in she smiled. I told her she was a big girl with a bed just like her brothers. The need to be flexible and open to change is a challenge, but a necessary quality in parenting.