Ready or not...here they grow.

And so we come upon it again.
What is "it"?
The time in life when you realize the old adage "When you get older, time goes by even faster." doesn't even begin to adequately express Time's lightning speed.

Allow me to elaborate...

Lil man will be a Sunbeam today. (Sunbeam is their first class once they are officially too old for nursery... the kids who will turn 4 over the course of the upcoming year.)

K will be a Valiant...no longer a CTR. (CTR's are the junior kids level in church...ages 4-8. Valiant is the senior group...ages 9-11. Then they move into the Young Women or Young Men program at 12 and stay there until they turn 18. This is a big deal to all the kids.)

And my B will be enjoying her last full year as a Valiant before she begins Young Women next year.

I'm not sure how this happened.
When did they get to be so big?
We definitely still have stages and phases and learning curves running rampant in our home, but everyday I see less and less of their need for Mommy, and more and more of their need to be who they are trying to be.
I am trying hard to keep up. I am struggling to make sure even if I don't understand...I at least validate their feelings. If I need to be validated from time to time...they absolutely need to be.

I love lil man's terrible three's (and believe me that they are TERRIBLE some days) because I know that it won't last forever. Soon enough he will lose his cute enunciations that melt me and the baby fat surrounding his darling fingers and cheeks will melt away. I want him to always be easy to hug and smoosh...and to hug me back.
I love how K keeps life interesting and entertaining. I could do with less drama and trauma, but she's still trying to figure out what she can and can't control. She'll figure it out sooner or later, and then maturity will rapidly approach and overtake my baby girl. I hope she always wants to snuggle, needs good-night kisses, and enjoys shopping with her mom. I hope she soon realizes that showing kindness reaps great rewards.
And my B. Oh, that girl. I love watching her grow taller and leaner. I love hearing her voice mature. I even love watching her inner struggle with her crazy emotions. I hope she keeps close to us. She is such a genuinely kind person who draws in those who need a friend without judgements or criticisms.

So tomorrow is a new step for all three of my little people.
Are they ready? Am I ready?
We shall see...