Crooked Teeth and Mismatched Clothes

My kids aren't getting younger or staying little. Everyday they grow a little bit older. Everyday is one day less I have with them. As we are entering the "tween" phase I dread it. I hate the new attitude that comes with it. I hate the new desires for freedom. I hate feeling like I fail them every. single. day! I am looking forward to the teenage years because I am "good" with that age. I want my kids to be grown up and stop acting like kids. I want them to always stop and think before they make decisions. I want them to be well behaved. I want them to take pride in how they look...wear clothes that are matching and take time to brush their hair and clean their teeth with joy and not with dread because I told them they need to do these things.

But when I look at the teen years that are coming quickly, I know that it means these little kids will quickly leave. I know they won't stay little, and I don't appreciate who they are now. Ella is nearly 11 years old. I remember when she was 11 days old. The time has gone so fast. After another 11 years Ella will be grown up. Probably finishing college. Maybe close to being married. (I was at 22.) And when that day comes, I am going to look back on this time and remember wishing it would hurry up and pass. I am going to miss the miss-matched clothes. I am going to miss the crooked teeth that will soon be fixed by braces and then be "perfect." I hope that one day Ella and Macie take pride in how they look because they want to and not because I am telling them they need to. But right now, I want to enjoy every moment with my 7 and 10 year old. I want to appreciate their sense of style and their crooked teeth. They will not stay young forever.