The other day, I was doing dishes and my youngest came into the kitchen. She asked me to carry her. So, I stopped loading the dishwasher and picked her up. As I held her, it dawned on me that my little baby was going to be turning 2 in just a few weeks! Where had the time gone? It didn't seem that long ago that I could hold her in just one arm. Soon, she'll be too big and heavy to carry around in both arms. In time, she won't even ask me to pick her up anymore.


My husband and I had decided four kids was enough and our family was complete. We have two girls and two boys -- it's perfect! We're done! And while I am looking forward to the day when I'm not constantly tied down to the baby (she's still breastfeeding right now), I still can't help but feel kind of sad. She's my last baby.


We've already gotten rid of the majority of the baby gear -- the Pack 'N Play, bouncer seat and swing are long gone. She never really used the crib, since we co-sleep. The high chair sits in the closet, awaiting the next trip to the consignment shop. There's no reason to save them anymore. She's my last baby.

As she outgrows her clothes and shoes, there really isn't a reason to save them now. There won't be another baby to pass them on to. I no longer get to see another baby wearing the clothes that my oldest child wore over ten years ago. She's my last baby.


But, I also love how independent she's becoming. She prefers to walk, rather than be carried, when we walk to my other kids' school to pick them up. She likes to sit in a real chair and eat her food herself, rather than be fed.

She has such a great personality. She thinks she's so funny and is just as mischievous as her big brothers. She can be girly one minute, playing with my makeup and brushes, and then she'll be climbing onto the kitchen table the next! I love seeing her become this happy little person with her big beautiful smile!

And while I will still look longingly back at the baby years, I am also going to enjoy her toddler and elementary school years. My oldest starts middle school next fall, which is an entirely different story that I'll save for another day!