Do you ever feel like time is flying by? I swear it feels like just yesterday I was in college, but here I am 11 years later, married and a mom of soon to be two kids. When did I turn into a “mam”? I mean I am only 33 does that warrant being called “mam”, it makes me feel old. I refuse to believe 33 is old.
Sometimes I look at all the young college kids here with a bit of envy. College is such a carefree time in your life, no real responsibility yet, you can come and go as you please. I remember being in college thinking I can’t wait to graduate and get my own house and work! Now I realize I should have savored those moments, I had it good then when my parents footed the bill and all I had to do was attend a few classes and fraternity parties. Life was good.
I think being a parent the same thing happens. We keep saying I can’t wait til my baby sleeps thru the night, or my child is potty trained, or til they go to school; always trying to rush things. Same with my pregnancy I am always counting down the days until I have this baby. But you know what these are some good times probably the best in our lives when our children are young and innocent. They are so sweet and pure hearted right now. I know one day soon Sterling will not want to sit in my lap or have me kiss him in public anymore and that makes me sad. I know after I have this baby, I will miss feeling her kick me and move inside me. There is something so amazing about feeling your baby move and grow inside of you.
While some days it feels like this pregnancy has crept by for the most part I swear it has flown by. Your second pregnancy goes by in the blink of an eye. I can’t believe my due date is 49 days away. The end of pregnancy is brutal indeed and not gonna lie I am ready for this baby, but I am trying to enjoy and make special these last few days while Sterling is my only child.
I am so guilty of spending way too much time on my phone and the computer not really savoring these moments with Sterling. I tell him to go play or watch a tv show not really taking the time to sit and play with him with no distractions. I am always trying to fold clothes, clean house, work on my blog, always something, not giving him my full attention. As moms we have to multi-task and we are constantly on the go and so busy. But I am really trying to slow down and take advantage of these moments with Sterling as my only child and the last few weeks of my pregnancy. If my house is kind of dirty or the clothes don’t get folded til tomorrow that is ok. Truly listening to my son and putting him first is most important. I am trying to be grateful for this crazy and busy time in our lives.
Sterling turns 4 in February and I swear the last 4 years have gone by in the blink of eye. Who ever said the days are long and the years are short was right on about parenting. So many people are fighting such big battles from illness to poverty that if my biggest worry of the day is Sterling pitched a tantrum or peed on the floor my day is pretty darn good. Sterling asked me the other night if I would still rock him when the baby came and my heart about melted. My sweet almost 4 year old still wants me to rock him and love on him, doesn’t get much better than that.
Today, I challenge all you moms, soon to be moms, and even those without kids to just be grateful and take some time away from your phone and computer to really appreciate the spot in your life you are in right now. For one day you may look back and realize this was the best time in your life.
I know I have mentioned this song before it, but I think of it often, it says its perfectly.
“You’re Gonna Miss This”
She was staring out that window, of that SUV
Complaining, saying I can’t wait to turn 18
She said I’ll make my own money, and I’ll make my own rules
Mamma put the car in park out there in front of the school
Then she kissed her head and said I was just like you
[Chorus]
You’re gonna miss this
You’re gonna want this back
You’re gonna wish these days hadn’t gone by so fast
These Are Some Good Times
So take a good look around
You may not know it now
But you’re gonna miss this
Before she knows it she’s a brand new bride
In a one-bedroom apartment, and her daddy stops by
He tells her It’s a nice place
She says It’ll do for now
Starts talking about babies and buying a house
Daddy shakes his head and says Baby, just slow down
[Chorus]
You’re gonna miss this
You’re gonna want this back
You’re gonna wish these days hadn’t gone by so fast
These Are Some Good Times
So take a good look around
You may not know it now
But you’re gonna miss this
Five years later there’s a plumber workin’ on the water heater
Dog’s barkin’, phone’s ringin’
One kid’s cryin’, one kid’s screamin’
She keeps apologizin’
He says They don’t bother me.
I’ve got 2 babies of my own.
One’s 36, one’s 23.
Huh, it’s hard to believe, but …
[Chorus]
You’re gonna miss this
You’re gonna want this back
You’re gonna wish these days hadn’t gone by so fast
These Are Some Good Times
So take a good look around
You may not know it now
But you’re gonna miss this
You’re gonna miss this
Yeah, you’re gonna miss this
I think Fridays are my deep thought days:) Have a great weekend friends!
xoxo
I am so guilty of wishing for the next thing, next step, etc. Thanks for the reminder this morning, and I think about that song almost daily- always makes me teary. Life's a precious thing and it goes by so, so fast. xo
This is so true… Time is flying by and we need to stop and enjoy the moment which sometimes it's hard to do. So many older parents say they wish their kids could be little again so they could do it all over, I'm guilty of always saying "I can't wait until…" too. Thanks for this post
Also, I LOVE that country song. Every time I hear it, it reminds me tht I need to live in the moment and savor what I have.
I absolutely love that song. I am not a parent, but I can completely agree with you about college and how that pertains to my life now. Always wanting certain moments to fly by and waiting for them to end. When I look back and wish some of those times lasted twice as long.
I wrote a post about time fleeting a few months back and someone suggested that song, I youtubed it and was SOBBING, like ugly cry – thanks pregnancy hormones 😉
I feel ya on everything and my babe is only a year and half, cant even fathom what it'll be like looking back when she is 4! Savor these last few weeks, I'm trying my hardest to too (though pregnancy sure makes it hard, by making you more than ready for baby to arrive with all these fun 3rd tri symptoms)
Natalie, I have been reading you daily for the past two years, and as the mother of an 11 year old, and an 8 year old, I really needed this reminder on a busy Friday morning before Soccer Saturday. Thanks for the great post.
Such a good reminder, Natalie! I feel like I'm always anticipating the next step in life, I am so guilty of not taking in the here and now. Beautifully written. 🙂
Nailed it. Always a good reminder to live in the moment and appreciate life as it is now. Thanks for this! Enjoy those sweet cuddles 😉
I've been thinking about this a lot lately…I don't have kids yet but I feel like I am always running around like a crazy person and not taking time to just be grateful and spend quality time with the people I love! Great thoughts for Friday love! Have a good weekend!
love you! You are so right on! The days and nights are soooooo long but the years fly by! I feel like I just had a baby (the first one) and now my second baby is almost two. I'm so sad over it lately. It's all going by too fast. I actually just heard that song on Wednesday after dropping Wells off at preschool and thinking that song has always really resonated with me. I made a promise to stop blogging at night so I wouldn't be glued to the computer when I should be hanging out with Matt and now the flip side is that I'm trying to scramble a post in the morning when my kids are begging me to come sit with them on the couch and eat breakfast together. It's so hard to soak it all in!
Well crap, now I'm all teary eyed because of that song. Yes, I have horrible mom guilt about the amt of time I spend doing things other than just being with my sweet baby girl.
If it makes you feel better…I'm 25 and get called ma'am. I think it's just a Southern thing.
Crying in the Target parking lot. Lovely! Great thoughts for Friday. 🙂
Such a great post. One of my favorites! Could not be more true. Hope you have a wonderful weekend together!
Ok, this just made me cry at my desk. Beautiful post, Natalie. Very important reminder for busy Moms!!
so true! good thoughts for a Friday Natalie! Have a great weekend!
This is such a sweet post. It made me realize that I need to cherish the time Cameron and I have without kids more and stop trying to rush into having kids just because all of my friends are having them!
So sweet! I agree, everything goes by so much faster the older you get. I found out yesterday that this baby will be here by Thursday(if not sooner). The count down is really on now and I want my three year old to have some good quality time with me and my husband before baby. Thanks for the reminder and good luck with the rest of your pregnancy!
We just found out that we will be having a baby girl in a few months, and you are so right… I'm so involved in planning, stressing about everything and trying to get everything perfect and I haven't even stopped to enjoy it… Thank you! This seriously made me tear up. you are a special person! 🙂
I am so guilty of mulit tasking and not giving Owen 100% attention, it is just so hard some days though. I love this post. Thank you for writing it. My fave posts are the ones that you write about your "deep thoughts" seriously. You are a great writer, and I look forward to these kinds of posts. Would def love to see more of them! 😉 Have a great weekend and love on that sweet Sterling!
so so true natalie!!! Aston is 6 and every night we play "baby" and we try to carry him to go to bed – LOL!!!
they just grow in a RAPID pace i cant keep up!
So well put! I often have these same exact feelings so it's nice to know I'm not alone. Time does go by quickly with little ones and I am taking on your challenge to put down the phone, let my laundry wait and just play with my kids. Life is too short.
Have a fantastic weekend! xo
great post! i actually miss being preggo sometimes and remember giving other mamas the crazy eye when they told me i would later on. my little man is almost two, and i wish we would stay this little forever!
Time is passing so quickly. I tell Ave almost everyday please stop growing. I want to freeze time.
I'm not even pregnant and this post made me cry! Such a precious reminder and much needed, especially before the weekend. Family time!
Great….now I am at work, crying my eyes out!! Thanks Natalie!! 😉
Great post and you are so right. I have one child and she will be 6 yrs. old next month. I love watching her grow and become who she is but I do miss the toddler and baby years. Embrace and enjoy!!
This corresponds so beautifully to what our MOPS meeting was about this AM! Thank you. That Andy Stanley quote just FLOORED me. Amen.
This post is so true and so sad!! I swear I was just having almost the exact conversation with my friend this morning. Our days of being pregnant and having babies are over, and that make me sad!!
I wrote something somewhat similar yesterday…it's nice to have a gentle reminder about what's really important…
You are so amazing Nat. Always have a way with words.
World Most popular Upcoming Latest cars and vehicles, Latest Mazda Models, Racing Cars, International Sport Cars, Concept Cars, PS-Pod, Strange Vehicles, Nissan, Royce Corniche, Ford Concept Cars, Strange Vehicles, Mercedes and More Sport Cars and Vehicles with Pictures and Info
WorldLatestVehicles.com
The other day someone called me "miss" and I was like YEEAHHHH!!! best day ever! (hate when I get the mam!) 😉
So true indeed, Natalie. Thank you for the reminder. Perfectly said!
This is your best post ever. It totally echoes my sentiments right now. I am so over the moon in love with my son and I too spend wayyy too much time with my technology in hand. I've really been working on it. I read Nienie's book Heaven is Here and totally wanted to start acting a little more like a Mormon mom. Ha!
Also, I love that song and have had a BIG crush on Trace Adkins for years. HOT!
I couldn't agree more! I'm trying my hardest to put my phone or iPad down and just enjoy the moments with my baby and husband instead of trying to document everything!