When did you grow?

This past weekend oldest daughter turned 18 - I know,  freaky. So I figured this was as good a time as any to post a layout I did recently, as well as to reflect. It is hard to believe that I am the mother of an 18 year old. I remember when she turned 16 and got her G-1.  After she drove to school, I called my best friend and had a little cry. That was huge (btw - oldest daughter is rolling her eyes right now). Wasn't that just yesterday?
In about 2 months my son will turn 16 and we'll have another driver - Yikes - and youngest daughter just got accepted to the Drama program at Earl Haig - high school! I really feel like time is passing so quickly and I'm not sure if I'm ready for what's to come.  It means we're all getting older, including our parents and even though they are all healthy (thank God)(KH, BH), I can't help but think about our immortality. Too morbid - I'll move on.

But seriously, when did they grow?? I see my clients who scrapbook with me starting their families and I remember so well the joys of that stage and all those little milestones and how big they seemed.  All those firsts; first smile, sleeping through the night, first bottle, first solids, first steps, first day of school... the list goes on.  I'm sure I've said it before but it's amazing how easy life was then, well maybe not right after youngest daughter was born, but in general. University, first overnight at the cottage without adult supervision, prom... Different milestones and different parental stresses.  It's all good - just different.

These pictures were taken in August 2009 after the kids all came home from camp and I discovered that youngest daughter was taller than me - not hard to do as I'm not quite 4'10" - but still somewhat shocking. They weren't my babies any more - they were almost all teenagers and I needed to capture the moment. It took me a year and a half to scrapbook it, but I knew I would.

The reflective kind of day....