Can I Sit on Them?

Today I got teary eyed when I cut the tags off and put in the wash the 6-9 Months clothes I bought the boys even before they were born (I blame hormones... Can I still pull this card?).  Have they really grown this much and this fast? Where have the months and days gone?

I foresee the future, I will cry when I will be helping them pack their mission suitcases... Or when I help them pack because they have found their sweetheart and will be married forever so they're moving out.

They are 6 months... 6 m o n t h s.... I have not encouraged them to start flipping on their backs or belly, pulling and pushing themselves, sliding on their tummies... None of that... I had a lot of friends tell me to just enjoy each phase and, once they start flipping, I should sit on them because after that they will soon start crawling.

Well, I haven't sat on them, but sometimes I wish I could just stop the clock and enjoy them being just babies.  Enjoy this time when I know they need me and they will be ok if I hold them close to me.

I think this time is slipping by.  I hold them, but they want to explore.  I have been reading this book about baby development and it's been so good to know what's next and when. The book has been right on a lot of things.  But that makes me sad, because soon they will want to be even more independent.

When I was younger and realized that my future children would live with me only 19 years of their lives, I was so terribly sad.  And to realize that I only lived with my parents for 21 yrs is also sad (in Brazil kids live with their parents until they get married or go to college. But, if they finish college and are not married, they can move in with parents again. It's totally culturally acceptable).  Now with the age change for missionaries, I will have my children until they're 18 years old, and then they're off on their own.

I have asked Sam to go live in Brazil, so I could have them with me longer... hehehehe....

Ah life, can you stop happening for a few months?