Unseasonable

It's unseasonably warm.  Yesterday, it felt like early fall or mid-spring... Temperatures in the high 60s-early 70s...  Me in short sleeves and flipflops (okay, so I'm often in flips regardless of the temps...), the kids in their Giants shirts (long sleeved) (although us sporting our team pride didnt help, since they got creamed by NO).  It was gorgeous; we played outside at home and went to a local playground twice.  We finished off the day making some cookies.  Fun day.  Warm day!

Today, another warm one, albeit rainy.  I did a speed run this morning (only 2 miles, but faster than my normal running pace) and came home soaked.  Then I topped it off with a lovely morning spent on the porch with some coffee, listening to the rain and birds...  Later, the kids and I dropped off our library books and angel tree gifts, then I took them to a local farm store, where we bought eggs and glassed milk. 

I remember the days of the infant seats, snapping them into the stroller and maybe even running them through rain (who am I kidding- I can't think of one time that I purposely took them out in the rain).  Then, there were the days of getting them out and carrying them because they were no longer in the infant seats but were still too little to walk.  Then, the walking but immediately putting in a cart.  And now, the walking...  Sometimes even without holding hands.

Yesterday, at Target, I pushed a cart and, after a while, Bobby wanted down so he held my hand and I pushed.  Then, Maya wanted out of the sling.  So, down she went.  She was fine just walking and telling me what she saw, versus Bobby who still wanted my hand.  So, there we were, the three of us, no one "riding", all walking.  Today, at the farm store (which is not a place you want kids to run hogwild), they walked.  No hands, listening to stand by me while I loaded our 8 dozen eggs and got our glass jar of milk... While I paid and signed the receipt... While I loaded our canvas bag on my shoulder... Then, listening, taking my hands, Bobby opening the door and us walking back to the car in drizzle.

Babies no more, toddlers... rapidly moving quicker than I dare admit, towards preschoolers.  The first two years flew by; will the rest of this year do the same?

Maya talks ALL-THE-TIME.  She is never without something to say.  Bobby, although quieter, is mroe than happy to school you with letters and numbers.  They both know (and recite regularly) the alphabet... They can count to 20...  Bobby can count backwards from 10...  Maya makes the sign of the cross ("In the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit").  They tell us what they need or want, and, in many cases, sign it too.  (We've taught them, thanks to an on-demand Comcast collection, about 30 signs and they picked them up super fast).  Even under the weather (Maya had the sniffles Sunday and Monday), they manage to surprise me with something they've picked up every single day.

Our tree is up with no gate; the kids love it but dont try to take it apart (to the point that we are thinking of getting a small tree for the playroom that they can decorate with soft, kid friendly ornaments).  In my head, I still see those two tiny babies nestled against my chest, but when I blink, it's the two of them standing there... Growing up... 


When I was younger, the years seemed to drag by and then, the older I got, the seasons moved quicker through their moons... Unseasonably fast... Now, even more so...