Evening on the Patapsco River

Last week the girls & I spent a lazy evening at a local riverside beach picnicking & playing in the water.

It's a special time right now--the girls just want to spend time with us, and they are ready to do pretty much anything as long as we are together (and it is introduced with some enthusiasm, "Guess WHAT?!? We're going to play the CLEAN UP THE TOYS game!!") Maybe it's because I started this parenthood thing later in life, but I am extremely aware of how fleeting it is, and how quickly the time is passing.

Maybe I am a little TOO aware. I've often told the girls, "It's Mommy and Daddy's job to teach you how to be grownups. Someday you are going to grow up and move out of our house and have your own houses and take care of yourselves."

One day out of the blue Evelyn said, "Mommy, I don't WANT to be a grownup!"

Me: "Why not?"

E: "Because I don't want to move out of this house! I want to live with YOU!"

What a heart-melter. I'll save the moving-out talks for later.