I have a love/hate relationship with this time of year.

I love that the days are getting longer, and warmer, and we can spend more time outside than inside. I love that Summer is just around the corner which means our routine (especially mornings!) will be a little bit more relaxed, and the days a little less structured.

But I also feel a little sad. As I have been watching my children these last few days of school, especially with all of their year-end activities, I have realized that these are not the same kids I sent to school in the Fall.

My “little girl” who would barely leave my side all summer long, readily leapt into the arms of her preschool teacher in September (whom she had just met five minutes prior) and has not stopped growing since. She is singing songs and saying things that someone else taught her. She has friends that are not stuffed animals and she calls me “dude” (I am not kidding).

And Ryan. I don’t even know where to begin with Ryan. He is such a special, unique child, who continues to amaze me each and every day with the things he says and does. He has grown up so much this year. He is so smart, and so aware of the world around him. He LOVES to read. But my favorite thing about Ryan is the empathy that he has towards other people. During his hockey tryouts earlier this Spring, one of his friends fell on the ice. Ryan stopped, skated over to him and knelt down next to him for quite a while. Later, I asked him what he was saying to his friend. He answered “I told him I would not leave him behind.” That is Ryan.

I am proud of my children and the people that they have grown into this school year. And I am happy that they are so happy. But sometimes, I wish I could just freeze time, even if only for a little while. Because by the end of each school year, they have moved just a tiny bit further away from being “little”. And that, is bittersweet.