Closing a door...

So my baby girl is potty trained. Yay!! But I can't believe how fast the last two years of her have flown by. We've been here before.... years ago when our second (and to our thoughts at the time, last) child finally finished toilet-training. It's so liberating - to be done with diapers. And I remember the years that followed - unencumbered by a diaper bag, how our little family could just pick up and go places with little more than the clothes on our backs..... bike rides and zoo trips or anywhere else that struck our fancy at the time. I guess the diaper thing was a peeve of mine when our family was thrust back into babyhood with the late arrival of our precious girl..... I was so done with those!

But at the same time, reaching a big milestones is like closing a door on a precious chapter in a child's life. She's not a baby anymore.... she fast changing into a little girl, this toddler of mine. And while it was a shock to go back there, the journey through her babyhood has been a beautiful time for our family. I'd forgotten how amazing and silly and fun and just lovable they are as babies and toddlers... and really, all that gear isn't that much of a pain, right? In fact, I took the opportunity to buy some really cool gear that wasn't available (or at least, wasn't as cool!) when the boys were little ;)

This isn't really a time for mixed emotions. She's a firecracker and I'm loving the little person she's becoming - she makes me laugh every day. And how silly am I? Getting sentimental about her great achievement. Really I'm unbelievably proud of her.... but there's something so final about your last baby reaching each milestone.... like you'll never be there again (whichever stage they've just surpassed). I'm already missing it. I'll never have another baby and grandchildren are such a long way off....

Ah well, onward & upward. Meanwhile, we're free again :)