Deepavali 2014

Just like last year, Kaitlin's school had a Deepavali celebration for the children. Since I didn't have time to get her a new dress, I decided to let her wear the one she wore last year. Thankfully, it still fits!

I love taking pictures of Kaitlin just so I can always look back on them whenever I feel like it. I took the below picture of Kaitlin before I dropped her off at school:

While editing the photo, I was focused on making the photo brighter etc, and I didn't realise just how grown up she looks! Only after I uploaded the photo and got a couple of likes, I stared at the photo for quite some time. Thoughts like, "Is this Kaitlin?", "Why does she look so grown up!", "Her legs are super skinny!" etc were floating in my mind. I spent time thinking to myself why is it that she suddenly looks so grown up! Was it the dress, or cos I braided her hair, or cos she did that "cheese" sign? I am constantly aware that Kaitlin grows up way too fast, and I always miss her being a baby and all, but that day it seemed like she was on an express train. Like I felt like my little bub was going to primary school like in a matter of weeks and before I know it teenage angst D: 

Sidetrack a little...when I picked babygirl up from school she had this on her hand:

Is it not like the cutest henna ever? Hehe!

I just had to dig out the photos I took of her last Deepavali to see how much she has grown! She's still cheeky as ever, in fact more mischievous now than before. Sometimes I can hardly control her. I would have to raise my voice and use an angry tone before she actually stops whatever dangerous or unhygienic thing/action she is doing. 

Just look at her! She was chubbier back then. Not very chubby compared to the average kid, but comparing her back then and now..she seemed to have definitely more meat in the past, and that's one thing that always tells me how much she has grown! You know how babies have baby fats? Like those littles rolls of fats when they are like 4-6months old..yeah I missed that so much..and now I miss the small bits of chubbiness she had as a toddler. I also feel like I have a need to feed her more. Not so she will be chubby, but so she won't be so skinny!

Oh sigh, how she has grown so much. Yes, she can still wear her dress and it fits her comfortably..but she has definitely grown physically and in so many other ways :') I always feel a mix of emotions, but that day, I decided to try and take things a little slower and enjoy the time we had together even more and notice the small little things. I found myself giving her more hugs and kisses than I usually do..I guess it was my way of telling her to not grow up so fast, and that even if she does grow up and eventually not need me in her life, I'll still love her all the same, and that is - so very much.

I'm really glad I took those photos of Kaitlin. They are great for looking back on, and for keeping memories. But more than that, it's moments like this that remind me to not always be so caught up with doing what I/we have to do and rush through it, but also to enjoy whatever it is that the babygirl and I are doing together and to enjoy each other's company.