Sunday, March 26, 2017

Blink And You'll Miss It








"Mommy?" Natalie said as I tucked her in for the night. I pressed the covers underneath her chin, just as she likes it.

"Yes?"

Natalie took a deep breath. I thought she might be working up the nerve to tell me about a bad grade she got. She looked nervous. Her eyes were darting all over the place. "I...wantnewsheets." Her words came out in a clump. I had to strain to hear them.

"I'm sorry," I said kindly. "I didn't quite get that."

Natalie licked her lips. "I...want new sheets."

Oh. I stared down at her sheets. They were Frozen sheets. Anna and Elsa beamed at me. Once upon a time, Natalie was thrilled about them. It was during the whole Frozen craze when it was impossible to find products with the beloved sisters on them. I lucked out and found the sheets at Target, just as they were stocking them on the shelves. Natalie's eyes had lit up when she saw them on her bed.

"I love them," she had breathed. "They're my favorite!"

But she was 7 then. Now she had just turned 10.

"You don't like Anna and Elsa anymore?" I asked. Like millions of other kids in the world, she was obsessed with Frozen.



Was. Past tense.

"I like them," Natalie said. "But I just want new ones."

"Grown adults sleep on cartoon sheets," I reminded her.

"You don't."

"Only because your Daddy wouldn't let me get Beauty and the Beast sheets. When you share a bed, it gets tricky."

"Can I though?" Natalie asked. "Get new sheets?"

With a lump in my throat, I agreed. I mean, it's natural. She's growing up. She's evolving. Did I really expect her to sleep in those Frozen sheets forever?

It wasn't just the sheets though. She decided that she was ready to say goodbye to a lot of toys. Where a Barbie Dreamhouse once sat, a desk now does:



Her Frozen sheets are packed away. They were once covered in Disney characters:



Now she has new sheets, with items that she says are "kawaii":



Blink, and you'll miss it.


You'll wonder if the pile of picture books that you used to read to your little girl was ever there at all. You used to dread when she'd beg for you to read If You Give A Cat A Cupcake for what seemed liked the 1000th time:




But when it's gone, when the books are packed away, you'll wish you had known how fast it would go by.


Blink, and you'll miss it. One minute she's a tiny little girl obsessed with Rapunzel.




And then she's double digits.




"Mommy," Natalie said as she sat on her new bed with her items that she says are "kawaii." "I'll still have memories if everything. I'm still your baby girl." She beamed at me.




"You'll always be my baby girl."


81 comments:

  1. Those are super cute sheets, though!

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  2. Aw! But I love her tween style! It's so cute and girly. So much to look forward to with her...especially having her as your best friend for life. :)

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  3. This is so sweet! :) I love her new sheets though. But you are right, it goes by so fast.

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  4. So sweet girl ....I liked her dresses .....nicely written article with beautiful pictures...
    Regards
    Www.Alfazebezuban.com

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  5. It goes by WAY too fast. My oldest is 12 and he's too cool for pretty much everything now.

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  6. Awwww, my mom still calls me her baby and I'm in my 30s. I don't have kids but I assume I would feel this same way as the got older.

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  7. I so know what you mean. Gabbie even out grew her American Girl dolls!

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  8. This is so sweet. The new sheets are so cute and still fun. I like that she recognized that her request might cause a bit of sadness. Very observant and empathetic little girl you have there.

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  9. لمعرفة اسعار و خدمات مراكز صيانة جولدي المعتمدة في مصر قم بزيارة فروعنا المتوفرة في جميع المحافظات او قم بزيارة الموقع الالكتروني الخاص بالشركة العالمية التي تقدم كافة خدمات الصيانة و اصلاح اعطال الاجهزة الكهربائية .

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  10. Super cute dress, everything so pretty, great, keep it up

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  11. she grows up so fast and she is sooo lovely! And I agree with her, a new pair of sheets always makes everything better :)

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  12. Awww, so sweet. Why do kids grow up so fast these days? I co-sleep with my 3 year old son but somehow I am already dreading the day that he would ask for his own room. Love the new sheets, by the way. :)

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  13. That was so precious of her to ask you for new sheets so sweetly! New sheets always make things better.

    Beth || www.TheStyleBouquet.com

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  14. Thanks for the great reminder. With a 4 and 2 year old, this can be hard to remember at times, when they are doing everything possible to get into trouble (it would seem), but they are just being 4 and 2... Sometimes it's hard to remember that they won't be this little forever! Congrats to you for taking this in, what seems to be a good stride!

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  15. Oh gosh, almost shedding a tear here, it happened with my son and Spidermen sheets, it wasn't that moving though, just ok you've grown up, I get it. :D

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  16. "I'll still have memories of everything."

    Well, that's it, the tears are triggered. This was beautiful.

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  17. Aw, this post made me teary-eyed and I'm not even a mom yet! I can imagine how hard it is to watch your child grow up and out of different phases in their life. But, just like the one before it, every phase is a special one. You're truly lucky to experience it <3

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  18. Great storytelling and v cute pics. That cliche about time flying when kids grow up is super true...

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  19. Our tastes change as we age and I guess it is a rite of passage when you change your room. I do love her new room though I have to say x

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  20. This actually made me want to cry.. lol they grow too quick.. my daughter just turned 4 and it's like the time just flew! She actually has those same sheets too

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  21. Love the photos in your post. I don't care what anyone says...time goes fast, but when my son is 30 he is still going to be my little squirt! ;)

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  22. You never know how fast time flies! She is growing and her priorities in life will change soon. I love her new bed sheets!

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  23. Aw, it warmed my heart. I now understand what my dad must have felt like when i told him i don't want soft toys as presents anymore. For him I will always be a baby girl!

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  24. Awe this is so sweet! It is scary how fast time goes!!

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  25. They grow up way too fast. That is why I have 5 kids so I can enjoy kids.

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  26. I think you did pick pretty great replacement sheets. For my daughter it was a Tinker Bell. And then it just stopped being Tinker Bell. Don't know when it happened but I miss it when it's gone for sure.

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  27. Super cute dress and super cute sheets. Everything so pretty and colorful.

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  28. 13 going on 30 eh? Isnt it amazing how fast they grow up. Just yesterday she was a baby and now a grown girl :)

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  29. Aha! She is into the Japanese popular culture now. The characters are super cute too.

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  30. Oh that was so sad!! Tonight I am going to read her like ten different stories and I will also film it!!!
    You are so right.. You just pressed my obsession button on .. Mommy just gone crazy again!!!

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  31. Oh that was so sad!! Tonight I am going to read her like ten different stories and I will also film it!!!
    You are so right.. You just pressed my obsession button on .. Mommy just gone crazy again!!!

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  32. Ohhh, how time flies. true we need to savor every moment with our kids..soon enough they will be somewhere else doing different thing. Jojo Vito | www.thehappytrip.com

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  33. Time flies doesn't it. It's change after change and it's really exciting but also a little sad because you would have to let go little by little. She's adorable and I'm glad that she's really sweet about still being your baby girl.

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  34. I understand what it's like. They really grow up fast and it's not just a cliche that we hate hearing, it's the truth. You're handling it pretty well though!

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  35. Oh my goodness. I couldn't agree with this more! I feel like when I blink a year passes.

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  36. Time just flies, no? My little boy turned 5 last week. We have to cherish each and every memory - tantrums included.

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  37. OMG ..I love pink and purple and I want that Room. I wish i had a daughter , I would have made her bedroom like the one your daughter has. she looks like a princess <3

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  38. How sweet, I love this. I am so happy you have the passion, zeal, and ability to document by writing it all down. The memories are not only stored in your heart, but preserved for generations to come.

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  39. Well. The new ones are pretty sweet! They are still kid-like. Whew.
    Although: "Only because your Daddy wouldn't let me get Beauty and the Beast sheets. When you share a bed, it gets tricky." That made me crack up. If I asked Cassidy for Star Wars sheets, he wouldn't bat an eye.

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  40. You just made in tears! I know, time flies!! Kids are growing up so quick! Your daughter is so beautiful and she will always be your baby girl! Love this post so much!

    xo,
    Molly
    www.allaboutgoodvibes.com

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  41. Don't laugh but I kept my Strawberry Shortcake sheets forever but they got ruined. I found an old towel of that too I had as a kid and my dad demoted it to a rag. They still make me smile.

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  42. Awww, I bet that can be an amazing feeling and super sad at the same time! My daughter is 6, and she is already changing so much. Your daughter is super cute!

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  43. She's growing up so quickly! Tell her I love those sheets and her kawaii throws - I'm 36 and totally would rock those on my bed if I could find them in king size. Kawaii for life!

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  44. They grow so quickly, that's for sure! I look at older pictures of my son and wonder where the time has gone.

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  45. She's so sweet. I struggle with my son growing up and he's only 11 months. Lordy!

    Ashley at morethanamilso.com

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  46. Awww, your daughter is such a sweetheart! I hope my future daughter will be just like her. Savor you moments together, soon she will be a teenager. Kids grow too fast. - ANOSA

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  47. She is starting to build her own personal style and that amazing! I discovered mine when I was 22 hahaha

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  48. Kids grow up so fast these days. Its hard to believe my daughter is not a baby anymore.

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  49. How cute. She is growing up your daughter. They grow so quickly enjoy every moment.

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  50. Children grow up way too fast. I'm sad that my son is not a baby anymore physically but he'll always be my little baby in my heart. Your daughter is so sweet!

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  51. It's sad to see how quickly they grow up. And i think kids grow up so much faster these days than we ever used to. Makes you want to treasure every single moment.

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  52. I am not ready for my kids to get to that age. As much as I get annoyed at all the toys and reading the same book for the 100th time, I know I'll miss it all.

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  53. Your title looks perfect to me. Blink and you will miss, this is exactly what happens with life. I liked reading your nicely written post with photos.

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  54. Love this post... And she picked out some super cute sheets, I want them too!!

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  55. Before you know it kids grow up so we have to treasure each moment. They go by so quickly

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  56. Been going through a lot of growth this year too in our household. The teen years have begun; I look at them and ask often how did this happen so quickly. Your daughter is so sweet and your post title is spot on.

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  57. This baby girl is so pretty and her dress is just glittering her cuteness. This article is so true. Childhood just went into whipping in few years only, it feels like such a short duration of life. Parents feel it most.

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  58. Awww, she is adorable! I can't wait to have my own, but i'm sure I'll hate the fact that time goes by sooo fast once you have kids! Next thing you'll know, they're off to college!

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  59. This is so true about life in general, but I imagine it is all the more jarring with kids. Good to be reminded to never take it for granted.

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  60. Awwww! That is so cute and adorable! I can relate on her. I was like that too when I was a kid. I guess most of the girls are like that including my 6 year old niece. Haha!

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  61. I remember when my daughter asked for new sheets. Dolphins were out. New stage of growth.

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  62. They grow up way too fast! Yesterday my kiddos started his next grade and I about lost it when I realized that he is now not a little kid but almost a tween! I can't stand it! I am right there with you on this whole STOP blinking thing! I want to savor every second!

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  63. I love her new sheet set. My son was the same way about his room. I slowly started to take the kiddie items out.

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  64. It is sad and happy when you see your kids grow and develop and want different things. You want them to grow up but remembering the sweetness of a young kid is special.

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  65. Oh, how I can relate! My little girl just started high school this week. She is loving it and I am pretty much dying inside.

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  66. Aww how lovely is this! She has some awesome new sheets too! I can't imagine how quickly it all goes by when your a parent though.

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  67. I remember outgrowing my cartoon sheets as well - mine were Tweety Bird haha. And my room was pink. Now my sheets are brown and my walls grey. Loving her new set!

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  68. Her costume is so cute and it fits her well. Many children are obsessed with Frozen. I still haven't watched Frozen 2.

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  69. TEARS!! My daughter is 8 so this is really hitting home. I want her to be my baby...and she wants to dye her hair purple!! So sad--and hard!

    http://www.thesparklylife.com

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  70. Kids sure do grow up so fast nowadays. I'm enjoying cuddle time with my baby boy at the moment.

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  71. I just spent months transitioning my now-teen son's room from a kiddie room to something suitable for a teenager. I almost cried as I took down ancient Spider-Man posters and boxed up all the stuffed animals and toys. He finally gave up Puppy, a stuffed animal I bought him when he was 1 and spent 12 years in a constant state of "where is Puppy" panic. Puppy now lives in my room because the thought of throwing him down in the garage makes my heart break. They really do grow up way too fast.

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  72. My daughter turns double digits this winter. She is just starting to move away from kiddie type stuff to a more tween style herself. No one warns you when becoming a parent that life starts moving in fast forward. So important to make the most out of those childhood years!

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  73. It's bittersweet watching them reach milestone after milestone along with the changes in their likes... their dislikes. It's something you wish you can hold on to for a little longer but it moves so fast, they grow up way too fast!

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  74. What a sweet post! I don't have children but I can imagine how hard it is when they are changing and growing up so fast.

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  75. First, I think we wives need to start a petition for Beauty & the Beast sheets on the beds, just sayin. Secondly, I like her new bed set-up. Third, a little growing up is a good thing because your'e right you blink and you miss it but now you've realized that and you'll start to cherish the little things more because you know that tomorrow she may not be "little" enough to do those things. Hugs <3

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  76. Knowing these moments are slowly fading behind us makes me sad. My youngest is three and her big sister is nine so I have two girls in completely different stages of loving princesses. I wish my oldest would stop pretending like she doesn't like them anymore!

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  77. Yep sounds about right! My youngest is almost 5 months old. i'm a little shocked at how the heck that happened ... meanwhile my oldest turns 15 in a few weeks! - Jeanine

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  78. Aww kids grown up so quickly. My youngest just turned 11! Seems like she was just starting school yesterday!

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  79. Oh my goodness, I have all the feels. My son is nine and will hit double digits in November. I am seeing this exact change in home growing up.

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