Soaking up these days

I've been feeling pretty sentimental today. I feel like I blinked and my kids aged 6 months. Selah has changed so much this year. Her face recently thinned out and she's gotten a little taller, she's been talking so maturely and growing in her reading skills. She's also learning how to control her frustrations and choose to be kind and include Benjamin in the big kids play time, even when she doesn't always feel like it. I'm so proud of her, and know she's going to just love school this year!

This is a photo of Selah from a year ago:

Another from a year ago...

And snap shots from today:

I can't believe she'll turn five in the spring! I'm trying to just slow down and soak up her precious 4-yr-oldness. Tonight after her bath we braided her hair and she was just being so cute twirling around, telling me how she couldn't wait to show daddy her pretty hair. :) I love this sweet girl! (She's going to get her first real big girl hair cut before school starts! I've trimmed her hair by myself up to this point, but I think it's time I let a real professional take care of it.)

We played in the backyard in our pj's today (seems to be the theme of our summer) and as I was watching the kids I could feel a little of that "fall crispness" in the air. I always cling to summer and never want to think the super hot days might be behind us for the year. I'm hoping we have a late summer this year!

Anyway, in that moment I thought about how another year is rounding, summer is ending, the kids are growing, another season of crazy shooting (photos) is on the downward slope for the year... and once again I feel a sort of sadness in my heart. I only get about 12-16 more of these summers and then my kids will be grown and gone. It's going to go so fast. Every year goes faster. I want to make the very most of these special years!