Celebrating Lasts

We always celebrate firsts.  First tooth, first word, first smile, first time walking, first day of school and on and on it goes.  But what about the lasts.  When the boys were infants it hit me that many times they would do something for the last time and I would totally miss it.  Sometime days, maybe even weeks later, I would realize that they were just no longer doing whatever it was.  And while this is still true, I also try to capture the "lasts" as often as I can.

Birthdays around here are a big deal.  But we don't just celebrate the birthday, we also celebrate the last day.  On Tuesday, Faith will turn 3.  So tomorrow we will celebrate her last day of 2.  I guess that is why this is on my mind today.  Tomorrow we will say good bye to the baby years and look forward to her becoming a preschooler.  Our last day celebrations usually involve some favorite activities and foods ending with a movie night watching that child's favorite movie.  The next day will bring more fun but the day before in our house is just as important.

I snapped this picture of T recently.  It was raining outside.  He dressed up in his raincoat, rain boots, and then asked me to tie his baby blanket around his neck for a cape.  He then took to the sidewalk running up and down the street as fast as he could, splashing in every puddle as he went.  As I was tying the blanket, a small whisper spoke in my heart - go and get your camera, this is a last moment.  He is soon headed for 1st grade and will leave behind the days of baby blanket capes.  But on this day, he confidently wore it running so it would fly behind him in the breeze.  And this mamas heart gathered up the memory to treasure in the year's to come.