My baby is turning four this year. Four years old. How did that even happen. I feel like I blinked and she was a big kid. Monster is finishing up Kindergarten soon and no matter how hard I wish for it they aren’t slowing down. There is no magic that will make time stand still. While part of me is excited to see the adults they will become, most of me just wants my babies to be babies.

With this realization that I can’t stop time, I’ve attempted to make as many memories as possible with Monster and Lovebug this year. Anyone who knows how three and six year olds act knows that more often than not things don’t go as planned. Someone wants to stay home. Someone is boycotting clothes. Someone wants to go back to bed even though they woke themselves up hours early. Someone is crying (usually me) and when we finally get into the car I’m exhausted.

This is the way our weekends have been for the past few weeks all in the name of making memories. We have seen and done some amazing things. I’m not going to stop planning out these weekends because I need them as much as they do. Yes I’ll take the little frustrations to get where we are going but it will still be living this life we were given.

We are so busy during the week with sports and dance that there is very little time for anything so I love our weekends. Last week we had a rare night off from planned sports/dance. Sweet free (ish) time! I’m going to yoga and will have some time for me. I took the kiddos in the back yard so the hubby could eat dinner before I took off. With the snow just melted we headed for the swings to play for a bit. Monster had his music blasting and we were being treated to his normal dance routine. Lovebug was swinging on the swings and content.

Well, the snow had just melted and it had rained. It didn’t take Lovebug long to find the mud puddle. We locked eyes and I knew what was going to happen. She made a break for it and jumped. And this funny thing happened. I didn’t stop her. I didn’t tell her not to get dirty. I didn’t try and control our evening I just let it happen. The squeals of joy that came out of that girl were infectious. Soon Monster realized something way more fun than his dance party was happening. He took off his new sneakers and ran over. Well, when siblings get together and mud is involved… you get the idea. My husband came out, took one look and went back in and watched from the window.

When they had exhausted flinging mud at each other they turned and looked at me. Wide eyed they came for me. I’m sure my neighbors think we are insane and should be locked away. I didn’t make it to Yoga. I’m still finding mud a week later but it was the memories I had been trying to make with my kids. Someday soon they won’t want to play in the mud. Someday they will be to cool to run mud covered through the yard. But for now I’ll stop and smell the mud.