You can’t stop time.
You can’t capture light.
You can only turn your face up and let it rain down.
— Kim Edwards, The Memory Keeper’s Daughter
Today Cassidy is seven.
Apparently you can’t stop time.
The Honey Badger Mom in me knows this. Knows my job as a mother is to raise children who don’t need me.
And I look at this photo of my sweet sweet girl, listen to her jabber on about the most nonsensical things, see her dance on her toes and twirl her hair.
My youngest, my baby. Seven.
My eyes tear and my heart breaks.
I fight the selfish urge: to want to be needed.
She’ll always need you. My mother is the first person I call when I need something! I know how you feel, though. Deston is going to be five and I get twitchy every time I think about Kindergarten (shudder).
Sigh. I know you’re right. It’s just hard to watch her grow more into her self; the grown-up version of the extension of my lap, the contents of my arms. The end of the cuddle years is nigh.
You’ve written what all loving moms think about every birthday and every monumental step their children take. I feel the love.
Awe Mama… I hear you! It’s so sad to see our kids grow up and way too fast! But happy birthday to Cassidy!
oh my word- what a beautiful post and a STUNNING photo. Happy seven!