23

Time goes by really fast. I don't think I ever realized that growing up. When you're a kid you can't wait to get older. First you're so excited to turn 16 so you can get your driver's licence. That's like the most important thing for you in your life. Then you get there and you can't wait to turn 18 and graduate. It seems to take forever to finally happen. The school days go by so slow, and the weekends go by too fast. Then after graduation the thing you look forward to the most is turning 21 so you can "legally" do all the things you've probably been doing since you were 14. For me things were a little different. Yeah I couldn't wait to turn 16 and drive, and then turn 18 and graduate. But instead of things going slow after that they have flown by at warp speed. I got married 2 months after I graduated, it was 2 weeks before I was 18. And I had 2 kids before I turned 21, so for my 21st birthday it wasn't all about drinking and going out and partying like most 21 year olds. Now I'm 23 and I have 3 kids. Things have been different then most 23 year olds I know. But I wouldn't trade any of it for anything. I love my kids, and though my life is full of poopy diapers, spit up, breaking up fights, and feeding and bathing 3 wiggly kids, I'm happy and my life is full. My oldest son turned 5 today. It really seems like yesterday I was in the hospital scared out of my mind wondering what life with a baby was going to be like. I was more scared of what would happen after I had the baby then I was about going through the actual labor. Everyone tells you enjoy those moments because the years go by so fast and before you know it they'll be moving out of the house. I never believed them. I guess it was all the sleepless nights and poopy diapers, and headaches that just threw me off into believing the years were going by slow. But now I look back and I think, where did the years go. My youngest is going to tun 1 in 3 months. It's unreal how fast this year has gone. So I'm telling you right now, if you're a mom to be or a new mommy, or even if your kids are grown now, cherish all the moments, good and bad, because before you know it they'll be out of the house. Kids are precious, and all you have to do to realize that is spend 5 minutes with one. They'll make you want to smile, laugh, cry, and rip your hair out all in the same day. But they make life worth living. I couldn't imagine life without my kids. Though I'm only 23 I wouldn't want to be a normal 23 year old. I love being a mom, and wife and doing all the things that I always dreded as a kid. The days seem slow, but the years go fast. Love your kids before life passes by and you turn around and they are waving goodbye on their way to college.