A Momentous Day

Could someone please just stop the clock?! Just for a little while? The events of today have left me just wishing time could stand still.  There are so many good things about where we are and it's all just slipping through my fingers too fast.  Michelle posted a similar sentiment a little while ago, and I totally understand where she's coming from.  All in one day, we've had 3 major reminders of how fast everyone is growing up.

#1:  Today is Jonas' 11th birthday. Eleven!  How Shawn and I got old enough to have an 11 year old is beyond me.  Of course, it's not all bad.  He rides his bike to the bus stop and locks it up and rides the bus to school and does it all in reverse to come home.  No driving to drop off or pick up.  No help needed from us at all.  (At least as long as he doesn't miss the bus.)  He's already earned his first 2 merit badges, he can tend the younger kids for short periods of time.  He gets himself up and ready and to bed all on his own.  He is a pretty amazing kid.  I guess his getting older does provide me with a bit of freedom and that is awesome!
So, Happy Birthday Jonas!!! (But still, if he could just stop growing up - just for a little while.)  We only have 8 more years with him before he's ready to leave on a mission.  Wow!

For his birthday cake, he requested the International Space Station.  I'm really glad Shawn is willing to take on this task.  So here are some photos of the result:
Complete with solar panels and little lego space men.  Jonas thought it was cool.  And I guess that's all that matters.

#2:  Today was Amelia's first day of kindergarten.  She was so excited and ready to go.  Kindergarten is hard for me.  She is still so little and the school is so big and it's every day.  I just can't believe that we are here already.  She has new purple sparkly earmolds for her hearing aids and she is set!
Here she is with her new back pack which is practically big enough for her to climb into, but she's been carrying it around for a week to be like the big kids.
And fortunately, her good friend Hallee is in her class, too.  So they got to go to kindergarten together.

#3:  And finally, Peter turned 5 months old today.  He's not my tiny little cuddly newborn any more.  Babies just grow so darn fast.  He is still so sweet, though.  I love his little laugh, and I love how he squeals with delight when I walk in to get him first thing in the morning.  And how his whole face lights up when he smiles at us.  I love his big blue eyes, and his little fuzzy head and that he likes to be held and cuddled and talked to.

And so there you go - proof that we are continually getting older despite all attempts to avoid doing so.