You're Gonna Miss This

You're gonna miss this

You're gonna want this back

You're gonna wish these days

Hadn't gone by so fast

These are some good times

So take a good look around

You may not know it now

But you're gonna miss this.

-You're Gonna Miss This lyrics, Trace Adkins

I was reading a random blog titled "You're Gonna Miss This" and it got me thinking of my kids and how they are growing up too fast and all the things I'm going to undoubtedly miss about right now in the years to come. Sure we have a crazy life sometimes and I get mad and scream at the kids more often than I'd like, but I guess what the song and that blog reminded me is that you don't get these years back. Me and Patrick are the center of my kids' world right now. Yes, they are slowly expanding that world, but for this moment in time we are the most important people in their lives; the people they like most and want to hang around. This is especially true with our youngest, Kaley.

Lately Patrick has started to jokingly call Kaley my shadow. It is true that wherever I am is where Kaley usually is. Whether I am sitting on the couch on the computer with her at my side or in the kitchen cooking with her sitting on the counter she is usually right there beside me. While I do like hanging out with Kaley I must admit that I also try to shoo her away at times as well. I know that as the years progress things will shift and she will be the one to start to shoo me away as I try to be up in her business (as her shadow) and I will miss all the times she fought Jackson and Ella to be the one sitting thisclose to me; to be my shadow.

Another thing I know I'm gonna miss is Kaley's raggedy old blanket...her ever-present friend, her comfort item. Kaley brings it on the drive to school in the morning and leaves it in the car to wait for her return. Actually she takes it in the car wherever we are going. If she leaves the house, the blanket leaves the house. Luckily we've only had one incident in almost losing her blanket, but I know the day will come when she'll be ready to leave her blanket behind for good. (She says 6 years old, but then quickly changes her mind to 10) When that time comes I know I'll miss the little girl with her favorite smelly old piece of blanket at her nose sitting contently watching tv and all the times I yelled "hurry up" while she ran to find her blanket while we were rushing out the door.

The very same things that make me frustrated right now will most likely be things I'm gonna miss in the future. For instance there is one dress in Kaley's closet that she insists on wearing like EVERY. SINGLE. DAY. We argue (me and my 4 year old) over if she can wear it or if she needs to change into something else. It aggravates me to no end. And it brings her to tears more often than not. In the big scheme of things, I know that in a year that dress will be outgrown and stashed away and one day I'll pull it out and remember how much Kaley loved wearing it and lament over how she is no longer that little to even fit into it anymore, much less wear it everyday. 

Bottom line is there are so many things that my babies are doing now that in a few months or years will only be a fond memory. I mean how much longer is it going to be that Kaley will still sit content on my lap and then turn to me and say so innocently "Mama, you look pretty" or "Mama you're my best friend." How much longer will it be that I won't have anyone to yell at or clean up their messes or wash their uniforms at 5:30 in the morning or compromise on watching cartoons for only a little while and then I get the tv (well I guess I'll always have Patrick). 

You're Gonna Miss This. Yep, I sure am.