Growing...

This is a post that I've thought about writing for a long time.  And as time passes, I realize that I need to write this post.

There are so many ways to measure the growth of a child.  When they eat more food, we assume they are going through a growth spurt.  When their shirts don't cover their belly, or their pants become "high-waters", we buy them bigger clothes.  We groan about how heavy they are getting when we pick them up.  But it never really sinks in for me until I sit down to rock my boys.

I don't remember rocking them a lot as babies, but rocking has become a pretty common occurance over the past year.  We went through a struggle where we had to rock them so they would go to sleep.  I made them lay their head on my left shoulder and curl their legs up on my lap (much like holding a baby on your shoulder).  We had to hold them just right so we could lay them down in their cribs without waking them.  It was such a snuggly little position.

Several months later now, I can't "hold" them like a baby any more.  Their legs are too long to scrunch up on my lap, and their heads surpass my shoulder.  They just don't fit.  So, we transitioned to a point where they sit more sideways on my lap, wrap their one arm around me, and lay their head in the crook of my elbow.  Their legs dangle off the side of my lap.  Part of me loves this new position, as I can see their faces, and their expressions.  The other part of me realizes how much the boys are growing, and with a heavy heart wonders how much longer we will be able to have our special time.

For now, I will enjoy each and every minute snuggling and rocking them.  Although they will outgrow my lap, they will never outgrow the love in my heart.