She's growing up. . .

and I don't like it. I wish there were a way to freeze time. Right here. Right now. My kids are having none of it, however. Kyler is as high as my shoulders. He's only eight. He wants to play basketball again this year. He's prtty good, which may be because he is twice as tall as some of the other kids out there.

Kady is two and all attitude. She insists upon doing things for herself. She repeats anything she hears and thinks nothing of telling me her opinion on what I have laid out for her to wear. ("I no wanna wear that, Mommy.")

Last week, I arrived at the baby-sitter to see Kady sitting at the table with the other kids and her hand stuck out in a "stop" gesture. It took me a minute, but I realized she was saying, "Wait a minute, Mama! Wait a minute! I'm drawing." She loves to draw.

Perhaps one of the reasons I have allowed her to hang onto the baba (AKA pacifier) for longer than I wold have ever dreamed is because it helped me see her as a baby still. Not anymore. Kady requires her baba whenever she's in the car. The other day, she had her baba in her mouth and was saying something. I finally figured out what she was saying: "I want two." I want two, as in "Give me another baba now." She then had one in her hand and one in her mouth. At least the baba is helping her count.