Fleeting Moments

Truly. Everyone says that "it goes by so quickly". I've heard that almost as often as I've received congratulations for new babies. It's become cliche - something that I hardly even think about when I hear it. I mean, I knew that the baby stage went by quickly with Bubba. But sheesh. I didn't realize HOW quickly, until I took Briggs to his 2 day and 2 week checkups with our pediatrician. I sat there waiting for the nurse and doctor to come into the room, and it just hit me...
Um I was JUST here doing this same thing like, last week. I was JUST holding my tiny firstborn in my arms as the nurse had to prick his poor heel twice because the first one stopped bleeding too soon, and I sat there holding back my own tears and feeling guilty because I knew that he would be comforted if I nursed him. But I knew if I nursed him that then both of us would be screaming and crying through the whole ordeal, because nursing hurt so so badly. Gosh, all of those feelings just came flooding back to me. I looked at the baby in my arms, and then up at my big boy who was pulling all of the books out of the toy crate. Seriously? How is he so big? How is it possible that my tiny baby Boyd is now walking and talking and telling me "no" all too often, and gaining an obsession for "baka-bo" (basketball) and singing songs while maintaining surprisingly good pitch, and giving the best juiciest kisses ever? And how, HOW do I already have two of these guys?

And upon realizing just how fast it has gone, I also realized that people who have had a couple or more kids don't know as much as I thought they did. No one can possibly be a newborn expert, because the stage comes and goes in the blink of an eye! Am I right?? No one except maybe people like my grandma, who had 9 babies. Boyd and I are both one of 2 children in our own immediate families. We have said multiple times to each other since bringing our new baby home, how strange it is that we've now caught up to our parents in number of children. You think of your parents as being so very knowledgeable and really knowing their parenty stuff... Well, we're on to you, moms and dads! ;) I'm only a handful of weeks into having 2 kids and my former baby knowledge from having Bubba is only gonna get me so far with this new guy. Because he's a totally different little soul with his own little needs.. okay, big needs.

I'm trying so hard to treasure these fleeting moments:

-Bubba instantly running to Briggs's aid whenever he hears him cry, giving him too-aggressive hugs and kisses that are a bit much, but so cute.
-Holding both of my baby boys in my arms.. I know they won't both fit there for long
-My sweet new baby starting to give me little hints of a smile when he sees me first thing in the morning, as he kicks his little legs and waves his little arms, sometimes hitting himself in the face, which is adorable and hilarious
-Watching my husband wrestle and snuggle Bubba when he comes home at the end of the day. Bubs never laughs harder than when he's playing around with his daddy.
-The bursting feeling in my heart when I hear little Briggs make those unbearably cute cooing sounds while he stares, amazed at the ceiling fan.
-Having everything pulled out of the pantry and used as building blocks, and then hearing Bubba start singing the cleanup song as he attempts to put everything back in its place.
-Finding Bubba in his closet, using the lower hanger rod to do chin-ups. He turns around and says, "Loot (look) Mama. Uh-cise (exercise)! uhm on!"

I was just telling Boyd that I wish I could just keep a camera rolling through this whole phase because it's so darn cute and entertaining and I will never be able to remember all of the funny things that happen day to day. But I will remember how happy I am. Even through the sleep deprivation and the never-clean-for-more-than-an-hour clothes, and even the self doubt and the questions of whether I'm good enough for this, or whether I'm doing everything I'm supposed to be doing... There is so.... so so much happiness. Heaven help me to always keep my eyes open to see it.