Things that make parents cry

I'll be kind and spare everyone my very long list ;)
I have a large portrait on the wall of my girls taken when they were 2 1/2 and 6 months old. While at Disney this summer, they sat for over an hour posing for an artist, which resulted in a beautiful watercolor portrait. Looking from one to the other and seeing those baby faces in 8 1/2 and 10 1/2 year old bodies makes me tear up.
Noticing that I am less than 5 inches taller than my older daughter makes me misty, as did taking her to her new school this morning and seeing her look so grown up in that uniform.
I need a tissue now!

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hmmm first day of daycare, school, with my oldest.

2nd child? his first haircut....well let's be honest, he's had two and i cried both times....but in my defense, my husband was going to shave his little head the second time....

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I will spare the forever-long list I've developed over the last couple of years, and just go with the two most recent:

The breakdown that occurred when I left my 2.5 yo at preschool for the first time a week ago today. Luckily it was only that one day, or I don't know if she'd still be going! I probably cried longer than she did, though.

Every single day I pick her up from said preschool, and she comes running down the hall with her arms open calling "Mommy Mommy!" with a huge smile on her face.

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Any kids production on stage - the smaller the kids the quicker I cry, especially if they sing. Get a stage full of kindergardeners and make them sing (or dance or try to recite something) and I'm a mess! Doesn't even have to be kids I know! :)

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The waterworks started as soon as my babies were born. I had 2 C-sections, so it wasn't from the pain.....but from that miraculous moment when you first see the face you've been waiting so long to see. I know this is probably something everyone goes through, but it certainly is #1 for my significant crying moments.

Other times? First time my baby didn't want to breastfeed anymore......first day in daycare.....Graduation from preschool.....First day on the kindergarten bus....and now anytime I hear "our song". which is the song that I used to listen to when I rocked her to sleep. And I know there are so many more crying moments headed my way.

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Just thinking about the fact that my beautiful baby girl is about to be a teenager. Where did the time go??

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The latest one for me was a couple weekends ago. My kids and I were coming home from the twin's 5th birthday party at Chuck e Cheese, and it was pouring rain. By the time we got off the bus, it was sunny, and there was a huge rainbow.

Jessica said, smiling from ear to ear "Look, Mommy sent us a rainbow from heaven for our birthday, isn't that nice Daddy?" (Mommy passed away from cancer on Oct 16th, 2006). I couldn't help crying.

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I will just say EVERY birthday.....it saddens me and makes me so very happy each year....even though they are both liars, they promise me each and every year that they will not get any older. They will have bday parties, but stay the same age. They lie every year, and every year when I tuck them in and kiss them happy birthday I get teary and remember when they were in my tummy and when I first held them..........damn here I go getting misty just thinking about it.

Today is my oldest ones 9th bday!

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There have been quite a few moments where I have found myself crying over my sons. The day my oldest graduated from USMC boot camp, the day my middle son graduated high shool, or the day my youngest son went 3-4 at the plate while he pitched 4 scoreless innings. But the hardest thing I have ever had to do was to tell my two youngest sons that their big brother wasn't coming back from Iraq.

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Thank you Paul for sharing that story. It made me misty just reading it.

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When you've sad and they put their tiny hand on your shoulder and tell you everythings going to be alright and they love you. That does make everything better!!!

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