My babies are growing up.................

Tonight, as I was cleaning up the kitchen after putting the babies to bed, I had a "moment". Tonight, I washed and cleaned their formula dispensers that I have taken with us for the past year on errands, doctors appts., and such. Obviously, if the babies ever needed a bottle I could whip out one of these dispensers, fill a bottle, and feed a hungry baby.

I also took down and washed the two bottle racks that have been sitting on the right side of my sink for the past year. You see, we were trying to slowly wean Sam and Sabrina off of their bottles, one week at a time. We didn't want them to feel rushed in any way, so we started with the after dinner bottle, then the plan was to take away the bottles for lunch, breakfast, and finally, night time.

But somehow, over the past week, both of them have decided that they no longer need the bottle except the night time one. I would make it and they refused. Their sippies (and real food) were enough for them finally.

So tonight, instead of washing everything and putting it back into the proper places......I will be putting them away for good. And it made me a little sad.

It sounds silly, doesn't it? That something so trivial, that most people would be jumping in joy over, saddens me. My babies are growing up. True, they are still babies, but this is only the beginning of them growing up.

I have treasured every moment of this past year. Even the hard ones. People would tell me, "They grow up so fast!" But I already knew this. I knew that the sleepless nights would end so that never really bothered me. I knew that one day Sammy wouldn't want me to pick him up, so I held him (and still do) every chance I could. And I knew the same for Sabrina, that her flair for independence would shine through one day and she would realize that she doesn't need her mama as much as she used to.

Yes, those days seem a long way off. But I'm smart enough to know that kindergarten really isn't that far away.....so I treasure the precious simple moments that make up our day. And those baby bottles, while simple, made up a big part of our day.....and I will actually miss them.
And oh how I dread the day when I don't get to cuddle and rock my babies to sleep at night. Some would say that we have spoiled them.....and to that I would answer..........................................................................................

"Hell yes, we have."

Buh bye baby bottles. And hello to a new year full of great, precious, and simple moments.