"You need not be sorry for her. She was one of the kind that likes to grow up. In the end she grew up of her own free will a day quicker than the other girls."
-J.M. Barrie Peter Pan
One day, you're holding your little 5 pound 11 ounce bundle.
The next day, she is dragging you all over the streets of Salt Lake for her senior photos, intent on stopping at every deliciously painted wall, door, or window.
One day, you watch as she carefully takes her first steps with those itty bitty legs.
The next day, this girl who is all legs, looks at her photos and says, "Man, my legs are long! No wonder I have such a hard time finding pants!"
One day, you dress her in her darling cream romper and take her to the studio in hopes that she won't scream for the camera like she is prone to do. And when you get this precious shot, you think you may have the most beautiful baby ever placed upon this earth.
And the next day, she dresses herself into her gorgeous blush concerto gown, and you know that if the lighting is right, you'll have no problem getting some lovely shots. And then you look at the photos, and you're quite sure that your daughter is the most beautiful young woman ever placed upon this earth.
One day, she is toddling around in pigtails.
And bouncy curls.
The next day, her hair hangs down her shoulder, simple and elegant.
One day, she is napping on the couch next to her dad, lying comfortably in the stink bug position, kool-aid stains on her cheeks, sporting those purple stretchy pants that I could never get her to take off.
The next day, she has abandoned the stretchy pants and the kool-aid, and has replaced them with her own fun style.
One day, I send her off to the school bus, holding back the tears as she faces the cutthroat world of kindergarten.
The next day, she confidently looks to college with ne'er a glance backwards.
One day, I'm admiring those darling freckles.
The next day, the freckles seemed to have faded. I'm puzzled as to how this happened before my very eyes, and I never noticed.
One day, I was buying her her first pair of glasses.
The next day, I am buying her one last pair of glasses with the children's discount.
One day, I was helping her with her ballet slippers.
The next day, I was trading in those slippers for a cello.
One day, I was taking this photo.
The next day, I was taking this one.
One day, she is frolicking carefree along the beach.
The next day, I realize that we just took our last beach vacation with our dependent young daughter. That all subsequent vacations will have to be worked around an adult child's work and school schedule.
One day, I look at my little girl, and realize that she is not a little girl anymore, that she is growing up.
The next day, I realize that that was not grown up. This...
...is grown up!
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