Got a baby I can borrow??

I've been having a really hard time lately, realizing that I'm moving out of the baby stage of life. Seriously, a really hard time. And I have NO idea why. Other than the fact that my Babes just turned 5 (and I felt the need to look through every picture of her from the last 5 years), and, of course, that Lincs just got his first stitches. (notice I said "first", because it's almost a guarantee that there will be more with this one.) At the most random times you might even find me with "wet" eyes. And I feel like wrenching out my hubby's vocal chords any time the words "pacifier needs to be gone by his 2nd birthday" or "we should move him out of his crib to the bottom bunk".

Should I seek professional help?

I know I'm not alone in this Babyitis. And I knew this day would come. But does it have to wallop me over the head? C'mon now! Cut a Mama a break!

So, inevitably, it's in this season that I start getting that baby itch. But I'm pretty sure that it's an itch the hubs is not going to want to scratch. (!!!!! can I say that?!) Not that it's his fault, because I guess we had agreed that we were done, our family complete.(unless, of course, God has other plans.) Did I really agree to that? I think my memory is failing me...........

But the reality is having another baby is not going to alleviate this feeling that I'm having, it would just delay it, prolong it and multiply it, because that feeling eventually comes at some point with every.single.one of your "babies". It comes when, one day you look at your 7 year old and see him playing sports, laying on his bed reading a book, getting his own food, tying his own shoes. It comes when, one day you look at your just turned 5 year old and she brushes her own teeth, buckles herself in the car, stops saying "pupcakes", and (with supervision) can look both ways and cross the street. It comes when, one day you look at your "baby" and he's about ready to turn 2, he tells you when he has poo-poo, he uses more real words, and he doesn't want help anymore going down the slide. It's life. Non of us stop growing. And, truly, I wouldn't want that...but could it just slow down a little!

So, I know it's time for me to embrace it. I don't want to be mourning these baby days so much that I miss out on the wonderful things about the stage we're in. I don't want to hold them back from growing and maturing. I want and need to enjoy them at exactly the age they're at.

So, in the mean time, if anyone could help me out by gettin' me some baby lovin', I would appreciate it. I especially wouldn't mind hugging on this little dude. (probably not going to happen, though. Rats!)

And when you see us next, and Lincs is 6 and still has that pacifier, if you would kindly not tell his daddy and keep your laughter to yourself, no one will get hurt....