More Sweet Than Bitter...

I remember when she turned a month old, I wistfully realized that I was already four weeks down on my maternity leave with Casey. I remember thinking that time was moving much too quickly. Boy, was I ever wrong – time isn’t just moving quickly... it’s on more like warp speed!

Casey is 11 months old today...and this is therefore the last time that we can say it’s her “birthday” before it’s actually, truly, really, honest-to-goodness her BIRTHDAY. The thought shocks and saddens me in many ways.

Within the next couple of weeks, Casey will get to celebrate her first Valentine’s Day (also Grandma’s birthday!), but after that, it’s all old news.

She will have had her first of every holiday... no more “Baby’s First Easter” bibs or “My First Christmas” ornaments. She’ll have lived every day of the regular calendar year – March 12th or June 1st or September 24th (and so on) will no longer be days that she hasn’t experienced before. What a sad little thing to let go of.

But on the other hand, I am thinking positively for the future. These past months with our daughter have taught Tee Jay and I to love each other more, to make time for relaxing and enjoying the moment, and to cherish each new day (and the growth that comes with it) of our lives with Casey.

Just today, she went from sitting to crouching to standing (without pulling up on something) and stayed there for several long seconds, even venturing to clap her hands without falling down! We have so much more to look forward to.

(And, after all, once she’s a toddler and no longer our “baby,” we’ll still have February 29, 2012 to celebrate with Casey! If only they made "Little Girl's First Leap Day" paraphernalia...)