Gracie turned 6 months old on September 25th and we got to celebrate it at the shore in Dauphin Island, Al with our friends Zach and Nicole (and their baby Lincoln)! It was a wonderful time and Gracie sure does love the beach. We are now in October and the weather is beginning to change, a chill in the air, the color in the leaves, the smell of the dirt.....and football! As every season passes, a sense of excitement is upon us, but with a baby, (at least for me) there is also a sense of astonishment. Where does the time go?
Have you ever talked to a complete stranger, in a completely random environment, and through that discussion you are led to deep thought? It happens to me quite frequently, and I believe it is important to have deep, critical thoughts on a daily basis. Yesterday, Grace and I were sitting in the lobby of the auto shop while my car was being inspected. There was a middle aged man sitting across from me and he said, it sure is wonderful isn't it? Such a broad statement can only mean one thing when you have a child, so I replied, yes, she is the best thing that has happened to me. He then preceded to tell me about his 2 college age daughters who no longer live at home. He told me that he worked 7 days a week when they were young and before he knew it, they were gone. I then begin to think....the good days and the bad days...they are all important, and they are all wonderful. The smiles, the tears, the laughs, and the cries. Each moment is a memory, an event, and a time that I will hold near and dear to my heart forever.
We often use the phrase "growing like a weed", well it is true! We are amazed by Gracie's constant development and scared that we might miss something as well. To sum things up, don't take things for granted, your child will grow with or without your permission!
