It goes by so fast

When you have a baby, it seems like everyone tells you to enjoy it because "it goes by so fast." But when you're taking care of a newborn all day, barely getting any sleep at night, time certainly seems to drag by very slowly. Yet somewhere amidst those long days and sleepless nights your baby starts to smile, and laugh and develop a unique little personality and before you know it, you don't have a baby anymore, you have a toddler. Bottles are traded in for sippy cups. Crawling turns to walking. Babbling changes into real words.

It's hard to imagine Nathan's first birthday was almost a year ago. Back then he was just learning how to walk, whereas now I can barely keep up with him when he runs. At this time last year he was only saying a few words here or there, today he announces "Mommy go pee pee in the potty" to anyone who will listen.

Somewhere between last April and now, my toddler turned into a boy who plays with trucks and pretends he's an airplane. For all those people who told me "it goes by so fast", they were right. How can he be turning 2 when it feels like just yesterday we left the hospital, scared and completely clueless? It doesn't feel that long ago that I was waking up every single night at midnight, 2, 4 and 6 to nurse a tiny little baby.

During the past 2 years, Nathan has grown and developed so much but he's not the only one. Will and I changed too. We became stronger, happier, and more content. Nathan has taught us to slow down and enjoy life, a lesson I will forever be grateful for. Before Nathan, we were always on the go - always planning our next move but now we are more aware of what's happening at the moment. We have learned to appreciate the present and not be so concerned with the future.  Nathan has challenged us in more ways than we could have ever imagined and as a result, he has made us better people than we were before him.

In just a few days, Nathan will turn 2 years old. So until then, I plan on cherishing every moment with him, because I just know 2 is going to be a whole new adventure.