Packing away the last remaining symbols of babyhood

Relatively big changes have happened recently. First off, darling daughter's play yard has been folded and put away for good. The play yard, which we first used as a bassinet when we brought her home from the hospital, has served us well. It has provided a place for darling daughter to play in. We've carted it halfway across the country on two different occasions so she'd have a place to sleep. And it was where she first learned how to sit up. But it was time to say goodbye to the play yard as she'd squawk every time we'd put her in it. The space the play yard once occupied is now home to a magnet board and farm magnets.

Last week, I decided to weigh darling daughter. I haven't done it in awhile. I was surprised to discover that she now weighs close to 30 pounds. My scale is not exact so we made a decision to switch her car seat to forward facing as the car seat only goes to 30 pounds when in the rear facing position. We've had her in a rear facing convertible car seat for a year now. I wanted to keep her rear facing as long as possible, hoping I could keep her rear facing to at least her second birthday. No dice. She had her first ride in the car forward facing yesterday.

I've been weeding out darling daughter's outgrown clothes. Sleepers, jeans, pants and shirts are in a pile, ready to be packed away. Onesies, which were a staple in her wardrobe, are no longer useful as she has outgrown the concept. Although I could potentially replace them with 24 months, it makes no sense as wiggles out of them, stretching the neckline.

Yesterday, we decided to go out to dinner. It has been more than six months since we've dined at a restaurant as a family. When the hostess seated us, she gave us a small colouring book and crayons for darling daughter. I was going to tell not to bother as darling daughter really has no interest in colouring, but I didn't get a chance. Good thing, though because she coloured up a storm and played with the colouring book until her kid's meal arrived. Kid's meal?!? Oh boy, we are already into kid's meals? Although she only ate half of it, she was good as gold during dinner, enjoying her new colouring book as well as the busy atmosphere of the restaurant. The only time she put up a fuss was when we were leaving as she was having so much fun.

I know Oh-My-God-I-can't-believe-my-baby-is-no-longer-a-baby! is a reoccurring theme in my blog, but really I can't believe my baby is no longer a baby. She is closing in on the age of two. She seems to be learning at least one new word a day. She is asserting her independence and will let you know what she wants and doesn't want. It is really quite amazing and mind boggling that the baby I brought home from the hospital not even 20 months ago, is standing on furniture, sticking postage stamps on herself and using a spoon to feed herself with. I know she won't be asking to borrow the car any time soon, but some days it feels like she will. They grow up so fast. Too fast. And packing away her last remaining symbols of babyhood just makes that concept a bit clearer.