How Are My Kids Growing So Quickly?

This year, 2014, my daughters turn 2 and 5.  I've seen a lot of posts on Facebook and other social media where people post about "on this day, x years ago, I went into labor..." where parents--mothers, mostly--remember fondly the time that led up to their children coming into the world.

I don't really remember much of my life before I had kids.  I know it's weird to say, and probably a little sad, but in all honesty, I don't really remember what that was like.  I think I stayed up all night on the computer a lot.  I imagine that it was easier to go see the movies that I wanted to see.  I must have worked.  I must have worked OUTSIDE the home.  I probably had to wash pee-soaked clothes less.  

That's besides the point.  The point of this post was supposed to be how fast the time goes.  I do remember clearly what it was like to have a newborn.  I remember the yellow, stinky poop leaking up her back out of her diaper.  I remember walking around the apartment all night long, bouncing her against my chest to try and get her to sleep.  I remember trying--and failing--to get mashed bananas out of clothes, burp cloths and blankets.  I fondly remember that front backpack, and carrying my girls around at the County Fair, Disneyland, the Tech Museum, and several Zoos.  I remember being able to dress them up as Hermione, a Snitch, an owl, Spider-Man, Minnie Mouse, Jessie and Tinkerbell.

Now things have changed.  Suddenly, it seems, my girls are developing into their own people--with strong personalities and wants and dreams of their own.  Alice doesn't like hard pants (jeans or khakis).  Claire didn't want to take off her Anna dress from Frozen after their joint birthday party.  Claire refuses to drink milk unless it has chocolate in it (mucka and shawcheet).  Alice called it "chalka nilk."  Both of my girls suck their thumbs.  Claire has a stuffed giraffe named "Georgie" that she cannot sleep without, and we were so nervous it's loss would cause devastation that we ordered a second one from Amazon.com.  Alice is reading, writing, and doing simple maths.

Next September, Alice will be starting Kindergarten, and Claire will be going to Montessori Preschool.  My children are school-aged.  No more babies for us.

On one hand, it's exciting to see what sort of young ladies my babies will grow into, but on the other I already miss the babies they were.

The next stage of life is exciting for all of us.  Girl Scouts are just around the corner, as is reading and writing longer sentences and stories.  We've already started playing video games with Alice, and doing puzzles with Claire.

Hopefully we're doing the right things.  So far it seems like we're on track.

Never got that instruction manual.