Take in the Moment, Make it a Memory

Milestones and memories. That's what life is made of, isn't it? We reach points in our lives that remind us we're growing older, and then those moments become memories and we do just that: grow older. And as we do, so do our children.
My husband, Kevin, and I took our 16-month-old son, Sebastian, for his first hair cut today. It was one of those moments much like the first time he rolled over, stood up on his own, took his first step.
Milestones like a first haircut really make me stop to appreciate the moment, because that's all we ever have. I take it all in and think, "Wow, time really does fly by."
I remember the day I knew I was going to be a mom; the day I heard my baby's heartbeat for the first time; the day I saw my "little bean"--as I always called him--growing in my belly. And then there he was, laying in my arms for the very first time.
Sixteen months later, my little bean is a growing like a weed. He's doing something new every day, and he always reminds me to soak up every moment, every toothy grin, every high-pitched giggle, every sticky grasp.
Yes, I've heard it all before... "You're a baby yet yourself..." "Wait 'til you're my age..." "Wait 'til he's in college..."
Yes, I am still young, and my son is just reaching his toddler years. But I won't be young forever, and neither will he. I'm not going to take these moments for granted. I refuse to let them slip by without fusing them in my mind, creating a filmstrip of memories to play over and over in years to come.
I am 22 years old. But I was 16 months old once, and my mother was 22. Before I know it, my son will be 22 and I will once again say to myself, "Time really does fly by."
So hold on to every moment God gives you, because time slips through our fingers before we even realize that our children have grown another year older.
Crawl around on the floor with them and let them climb on your back as if you're a mountain. Let them make you laugh until tears run down your face and your tummy sprouts that six pack you've always wanted. Read them three stories at bed time, maybe four if you just can't say no to those puppy-dog eyes. And once they fall asleep, sneek into their rooms and watch them dream. Because before you know it, they'll be chasing those very same dreams.