You might be a Veteran Parent if.........

1. You are unfazed by by your 9 year old's efficiency. OF COURSE it would make sense to simply color the good smelling marker on your face around your nostrils instead of having to LIFT the pen to your nose every time you wanted to take a wiff. Makes perfect sense.
2. You just smile and say, "You look beautiful girl" as your daughter comes out of her room in this little number, ready for school. Those are different shades of camo clothing, along with tie-died socks, if you missed it. Wait, wait, wait. It gets better. IT'S SCHOOL PICTURE DAY. But luckily just the classroom shot. I might have had to pull rank if it was individual shots today. It's the way they feel on the inside.......right?
3. You are so use to giving your 3 yr old 3 bathes a day that during one of them, you let the water run while you go to look up something on the computer. After a moment, you realize you just heard your child say, "This is willy big" and then run to shut off the water JUST before it crests the edge of the tub. (Now don't freak out. She could have just stood up. It was my floors that I was worried about.)
Okay Veteran Parenting.........Neglectful Parenting......your call. But one thing is for sure, I am really feeling the need to embrace every moment with Morgan right now. She is growing up way too fast and it's breaking my heart.
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My Dear Morgan,

Yesterday was like any normal day for the two of us, but I soaked up every minute of it. While I know that you will LOVE going to two days of Preschool next fall, I am starting to realizing that my days of having a 24/7 side kick are coming to an end.

While having breakfast with Deaven and Peyton, I heard you wake up and could tell by the sound of your voice that you weren't happy. I came upstairs and climbed in the crib with you. This always makes you laugh and you quickly snuggled in with me. Dad walked by a few moments later to tell me that I was going to break the crib, but you and I know that I've done that lots of times......our little secret.

As we make our crib exit, you request the 10 lb Tinker Bell blanket that "Aunt" Christy got us. You struggle to lug it around the house, but insist it comes with you, especially in the early morning hours.

Though you come with me to take the big kids to school, you ask at 30 minute intervals through out the day "Where's Deaven?" "Where's Peyton?" "Where's Daddy?".

Every time you decide you need a hug, or to be carried, you say, "Hold you!" which very sweetly has been the way all you kids have indicated you needed me to hold you.

By 10am, you've been in 3 different outfits already, all including skirts. You ask to take a bath (which sometimes is the one of many). This time though, Mom gets a little distracted and you get a "Willy Big One".

After your bath, we negotiate on outfit #4, while I steal a few kisses and nibbles on your bare skin as I dress you. We head off to the gym for Mommy to get a quick work out in. Luckily for me, you love the gym.

From the gym we hit the grocery store. Unfortunately, just in this last month, you've decided that you don't want to go into the Play Land any more and insist on coming with me. This makes it lots more challenging for me, seeing as you have an opinion on EVERYTHING we buy, but we make our way through the store as people stop to talk to you and comment on how very cute you are. I already know though, because you are mine. After picking up our free cookie at the bakery, we head to check out. You quietly play with the Cinderella Polly Pockets for sale while Mommy pays for the groceries. Since I have never, ever bought you something there at the check out, you think those things are simply there TO play with while Mommy's check out. You clean her up with out a fuss while the cashier one more time tells me how cute and well behaved you are. I smile and thank here, and decide this isn't the time to talk about multiple-personalities.

We head to the car, with you holding on tight as you ride on the side of the cart. Mommy is a rule follower, but grocery cart riding is one that's been thrown out the window. Once you hop off, you be sure to jump over all the cracks in the pavement and then insist on crawling up into your car seat by yourself.

We stop by the school to pick up the kids on the way home. Your eyes light up as they get into the car and they begin to quibble over who gets to play with you first. Our afternoon is filled with playing outside, munching on snacks, reading some Dora books and coloring. You ask about Kelton coming to play, or going to Carlee's house. When I go to hop in the shower, I find you stripped naked by my side. You splash around below me and imitate me shaving my legs. I tell you your booty is cute, to which you reply "Your booty is cute too Mommy".

Once I start to make dinner, you come to help too. We're having pancakes, sausage and eggs, so there is lots for you to help with. When I step away to send an email, you take our mixed up batter for the pancakes and fill it into a bunch cupcake tins that you've pulled out of the cupboard. 4 minutes later when I come back, you inform me that you are "baking a cake" and I praise you for doing "such good cooking" while I am once again reminded how fast 3 year old imaginations work.

At dinner, everyone laughs at your silly commentary while we encourage you to keep eating (not your forte'). While I clean up the dishes, you unload something out of the dishwasher for everything I've put in, but you quickly obey when I tell you to put them back.

After dinner, you play with Dad, who makes you giggle relentlessly. You two have a special bond and cuddle together every day. Dad reads you lots and lots of books, but when he mentions the hot tub, you are ready to jump back into action. I decide that it's time to settle you down, get you dressed for bed and.............go find the 10 lb blanket.

We have family prayer before Dad and Mom starting picking you guys off one by one for bed. You are lucky and are normally last in line. As the house quiets from activity, you climb up into my lap with your sippy cup for one last snuggle. We sing a few songs, like Popcorn and the Wheels on the Bus. I feel my heart weep just a little, knowing this season is passing all too fast. Dad takes you up to bed, and I hear you say, "Good Night Jesus" as you pass His picture in the hall next to your room. You go to bed with out a fuss and 30 minutes later when I head to bed, I go into your room, as I do EVERY night, and watch you sleep for just a moment. Your little body, tired from all the exploration of the day, lays motionless as I wipe the hair away from your slightly sweaty forehead.

I then head to my room, and drop to my knees in complete and utter gratitude for your presence in my life.

You are my baby. You always will be. And I will always love you.

-Mom