DON'T BLINK!

Please...I am telling you .

Don't blink.

I did.

My first child, my baby boy, my little Chase man, he turned 12 today.

How did that happen?

It really doesn't seem possible.

I swear it was just yesterday that I brought my baby home.

He was the most beautiful baby I had ever seen.

I was so scared.

I had never been a mommy before.

I had so many questions and so many concerns.

Chase did not seem to notice that I was nervous.

I must have blinked that day.

Before I knew it he was not a baby anymore. He had loads of energy. He loved reptiles. He started preschool. He loved to go "gishing" with his daddy. He never slept.

Another blink and Chase learned to sleep in his own bed. He finally learned to sleep. Period. He continued to amaze us with his endless energy.

One more blink and he was playing ball. Namely, baseball and basketball. He loved it. He still does. He even converted his non-sports minded mom to get excited about ballgames. Especially the ones he played in.

Somehow my rambunctious, messy little toddler turned into a well mannered, funny, athletic, self motivated, surface neat tween.

Somewhere between 1996 and 2008 my baby grew up and I almost did not see it happen. So I am warning you ...don't blink. If you see me on the street this week, I will be the girl with her eyelids propped up by toothpicks. (So as not to blink again!)