to feel sad at my children growing up so fast. I want to freeze time!

[Hadtonamechangeforthis123]

I have a four year old, three year old and a 10 month old.

The last 10 months seem to have passed so quickly I don't feel like my 10 month old was ever a tiny baby. It feels like it was only a few months ago my eldest was a toddler and my middle one a baby.

Everyone I know talks about getting the baby years over and done with but I have genuinely enjoyed them. They've been hard, really hard. But as someone who has always chased a career and had a long commute I've really enjoyed the time spent at home. I've even enjoyed soft play! I've found these early years really special and I don't want them to end.

Anyone feel the same?

My DD and I were looking through some of the baby/toddler photos yesterday ( DS is nearly 20 , DD is 17)

We did so many things with them, every weekend was a trip out , going to parties , going out to the woods .It is lovely to have the memories and the photos to look back on.

Now DD is looking at Universities , DS is at University and just started a P/T job. It;s a new era , they are young adults .
And you think "I've done a pretty good job there"

No. I wished my children to grow up ASAP. I hated the baby and toddler days. I was lonely, probably had post natal depression and no one to talk to. I can talk to them about loads of cool things now. They’re 12, 8 and 6. Eldest talks to me about movies, politics, books..today she was telling me about the gothic genre and how women were always the ones who went mad or had a bad time in them! My 8 year old talks to me about rocks, interesting science experiments he’s seen on YouTube (geek!), he’s hilarious. And my youngest, the baby, remains a baby, but I draw with her, colour in, do writing and other arty stuff.

Babies are boring crying little things. Toddlers basically are a walking talking turd and wee bag. Children are the best. I absolutely love my children, but by God they were crap babies and toddlers.

I feel the same op. I have a very nearly 7 year old ds who was a total nightmare clingy baby and screamy, punchy toddler who I dreaded taking out. He is now such a lovely, loving boy who I just want to squeeze and never let go!
My favourite ages are 6 and 7. I wish they could stay this way forever.

I loved the early years too. Loved them. So I get it. I'd do it again if I could. Miss them even though I love spending time with her now too

But it gets easier (that feeling of wanting then to stop growing) as they get older.

No, I never wanted to freeze time. I've enjoyed watching my three go through each stage, some easier than others, and have always looked forward to the next stages coming up. They are young adults now, it's still exciting watching their lives unfold.

A wise mmnetter said once to video the normal moments like breakfast time, or them just playing chatting to themselves instead of just birthdays and Xmas because those are the normal memories you'll miss and don't take enough video of.

Personally I am so glad to be out of the baby years I haven't had time to feel sad. I'm loving the freedom of being able to take them to restaurants as a pp said and the cinema. And we can finally start having people over of an evening because the youngest isn't likely to wake up wailing and need one of us to stay with him for an hour.

The days are long but the years are short.

^ a truism I learned on MN

Yes OP I have felt this and have four kids 10, 8 ,6 and 1. Even with the last DS his first year whizzed by... despite my best efforts to make it last... I wonder if it's mother natures plan to try to keep us having babies? They need you just as much when they get older though and watching them grow and develop is lovely so I find it best not to dwell on this too much and find some 'me' time.

It can be hard to watch your babies grow up. It's even harder if they're never going to grow up.

My ds is 15, it's Christmas soon & I wish I could be buying him toys instead of racking my brains to think of what to buy him. I've been a single parent since he was 6, we moved in to a council house after my marriage ended, we were a little team, coming home from school, he would sit at the breakfast bar talking to me, doing his maths & reading while I prepared tea, then afterwards we would cuddle up on the sofa to watch television until it was time for his bath, story & bed. I miss holding his hand crossing the road, the days when he accepted what I told him, when he ran out of school wanting a hug. He does his GCSE'S next summer & then sixth form. I wish I had treasured those times when he was little, half the time I was worrying about if we had enough money, but I would go back in a heartbeat if I could.