Lately and a realization

Ashton says "scuse me's. Ashon burped." EVERY TIME he burps. I actually have him doing this on film during a school party in the middle of a semi-quiet moment. Yep.

Emory has started calling everyone daddy. I am daddy. The dog is daddy. But, when her actual daddy enters the room, "daddy" is said in a much more excited tone with lots of gusto, usually while she is running toward him with her arms outstretched.

Ashton asks for chocolate milk and chocolate cake almost every single morning for breakfast. He is always denied.

Ashton has really starting using his potty. He knows that every time he goes in his "bo boy potty", he gets a coin to put into his "rufus bank". (his piggy bank is actually not a pig. it's a dog and his name is rufus).

Emory is SO ticklish and loves to be tickled to the point of tears. She will strut over to me and lay down and raise her little arms up and usually starts laughing before I even touch her.

Ashton is such a vast hole of information lately. I am so mad at myself for not immediately blogging (or at least writing down somewhere) every little hilarious, smart, smarty pants, or sweet thing that he says.

One such hilarious/sweet thing that he has said lately: He found one of his Easter presents (a puzzle) in my room. It was a quiet afternoon with little sassy asleep and all my chores done. So, I let him open it early and we sat and played with his new "trucks" puzzle. He looked up at me and said, "Mommy?" Yes sweet boy? "This puzzle is perfect. Thank you."

Emory continues to rule the roost around here. She is sweet and sassy and generally into everything. Yesterday she managed to unscrew the top to a brand new (full) bottle of nyquil and empty it all over the kitchen floor. I swear it happens in a split second, people! *no nyquil was ingested by either child* Fortunately, I saw the whole thing go down (just couldn't reach her before she turned the bottle upside down) and was ready to go with my handy dandy baby wipes! ;)

If Ashton is scared or wants to go somewhere or can't reach something, he comes to me and says, "mommy. holded my hand. let's go".

Emory has developed a wild and passionate love for slides. She sits at the top, and in total baby jibberish, says "ready, set, go!" Then she slides down with her hands stretched out and says "weeeeeeee!" I love how much she loves slides.

I had a realization this morning. My kids are growing faster than I can document. They are literally learning new things everyday. They love life. I love watching them love life. But I honestly feel heartache sometimes. Heartache for the time that has passed. I miss their earlier selves. Their sweet baby rolls and utter dependence on me. At the same time, my heart sometimes flutters with excitement when I think about all that is to come in their future. My realization is this - not until I became a parent did I realize that it was possible to embody such intense emotions all at once. Wanting to hold onto them and smother them tight but also wanting them to grow and learn and explore. Pain and joy. Longing and loving. I guess the only way not to be completely taken over by these emotions is to focus on the now. The right now. To soak it in as best I can. And continue to document it. Because tomorrow, the right now will be the past. The longing.