being the big cousins

 

I know I talk about this a lot lately, but I am constantly astounded by how big my kids are now. To those of you with teenage and adult kids, my kids are still babies. However, I am in awe daily of the young people filling my home. They are so stinkin’ fun and SO EASY TO GO PLACES with now. It is a glorious season. When did this happen?

I think maybe in the previous season, it was more of a survival mode. I loved having tiny ones, but honestly a lot of the last 10 years is pretty fuzzy. Thankfully, I have a lot of pictures!

My nephew turns 1 today. In honor of his “last day of being zero” (according to my eldest daughter), we joined my sister and mom at the zoo yesterday. I watched my sister push her big ole’ stroller, which is basically like trying to drive a boat on land, and thought about all the years I pushed a stroller around the zoo.

Years and years. Kid upon kid piled onto a stroller meant for two. Timing the trip just right before meltdowns. Catching sippy cups thrown overboard. Leaving a trail of crackers behind us. Teaching animal names. Mimicking animal sounds. I loved trips to the zoo, but they were not a casual stroll.

As we walked around with my niece and nephew I watched my kids – the older cousins. I’m so thankful my sister has little ones. I’m relishing this season of casual strolls through the zoo with my kids, who are fully embracing their role as the big kids.

Lesley looks like she is one of my kids!One prefers dresses and ‘fancy’. The other prefers her brothers’ old basketball shorts and ‘sporty.’
Happy Birthday to the little 1 year old boy that has stolen his Aunt’s heart…and the hearts of all his big cousins.