Never Grow Up...

The summer is going by so quickly. Too quickly. We are spending many hours outside but recluse back into the air conditioning when it gets too much to bear. I've been waking before 5am several times a week to beat this heat and get my runs in before the sun rises. But even those mornings I come home drenched, wringing out my clothes. Ran with Meggie and 5 others yesterday and you can read about our long run here.

Another reason I run so early in the morning is I want to be able to spend every waking moment with my girls. I know this time in their lives will go by quickly, so I make it a point to be ever-so-present in their lives when I'm home (part of that is the working mom's guilt in me). I realize some may think this is overbearing, but it's how I choose to live my life. I want to remember having tea parties and tickle fights and dance parties. Always.

Our nanny's time with us is quickly coming to an end and boy, will we ever miss her. She made a cd for us of songs she and the girls have been listening to all summer. I popped it in the car the other night and the girls were bouncing in their car seats, singing every song, making Mike and I laugh hysterically. Mike even commented, "This is a sign the girls need to go back to school!" Are they learning much this summer? Not unless you call knowing the words to songs by Ke$.ha and LMFAO (ps-Mike didn't know what that stood for, and if you don't...that's totally fine imo). The girls have been experiencing so much that they wouldn't normally get do: museum, zoo, county fairs, outdoor concerts, library, splash parks, pool, Monkey J.oe's, berry picking...I could go on. But like I said, not so much learning, but experiencing. Love that our nanny has been so creative and adventurous. Izzy & Laney have many years to learn, right?

Back to the cd that the nanny made; she warned me of the very last song on the disc, that it always makes her mom cry, and that I might too. As soon as I heard it tears were in my eyes. I have listened to it many times before but only this time did I sob. This time I heard my almost four year old singing the words. And oh, did my heart melt.

If you aren't familiar with Ta.ylor S.wift, get onto itunes and listen to this one stat. It won't disappoint (she also has a few others that are similar and really hit home). Here are just a few lines from "Never Grow Up":

"Your little hands wrapped around my finger

And it's so quiet in the world tonight

Your little eyelids flutter 'cause you're dreaming

So I tuck you in, turn on your favorite night light

To you, everything's funny

You got nothing to regret

I'd give all I have, honey

If you could stay like that

Oh, darling, don't you ever grow up, don't you ever grow up

Just stay this little

Oh, darling, don't you ever grow up, don't you ever grow up

It could stay this simple

I won't let nobody hurt you

Won't let no one break your heart

No, no one will desert you

Just try to never grow up, never grow up"

To hear this song being sung by Iz...my heartstrings were tugged so strong, it felt like my heart was beating outside of my chest. Let's just say I hugged the girls tighter and read them 4 books (instead of the usual 2) that night in bed. Snuggled them a little extra and gave more smooches than they wanted.

 

We still have a good 3 weeks with the nanny until our summer is officially over and you better believe we're soaking it all up. And still hoping they never grow up :) A mom can dream, right? In the meantime, here are a few pictures of Laney in the backyard...

 

Here's to time slowing down...and living in the moment with my girls.