I have instituted a new rule at our house: NO GROWING UP!
Of course, this is met with resistance as the kids gleefully retort, “YES to growing up!”
Hadley and Bode are both at the stage where I wish I could bottle them up and keep them this way forever. We are finally past the sometimes-tedious baby stage and they are both reasonably independent. They are delighted by the most simple things and the world is magical to them.
At 2 1/2 years old, Bode has yet to take The Descent Into Hell That Was the Terrible 3s and Hadley (who will be turning 5 in May) has blossomed into a story-telling machine. She will spend hours writing “books” and often takes that long to relay her detailed stories and pictures to us. Her imagination and ability to entertain remind me of someone I knew a long time ago.
Let’s just hope she doesn’t turn into a geek who frustrates her teachers when she submits stories that are several pages over the allotted limit.
Though perhaps “geek” is a strong word. I preferred “ambitious.”
Last week, Jamie and I took the kids on a hike. Haddie is already an intrepid hiker and can go for a few miles while I carry Bode in the backpack. This time, we decided to let Bode walk until he got tired. Only he didn’t wear out. In fact, he practically sprinted more than 1,000 vertical feet up the mountain. Jamie and I kept looking at each other in puzzlement and only assisted by holding his hand during the steep parts.
As we reached the summit, I snapped this picture.
It was one of those sobering and exhilarating days when you are reminded you can’t keep them young forever.
Then again, maybe that’s a good thing. Hauling his 30 pounds up the mountain was getting a bit old.
Or maybe I am.
I'm a Canadian-born mom of two, former Denver Post columnist, family travel writer, editor of MileHighMamas.com and 9News contributor. Expert on all things Utah, Denver, family and travel. Lover of laughter and life. Happily married to a man obsessed with growing The Great Pumpkin. 