You blink and you miss it.

I was at gymnastics this past Thursday after a two week Winter Break, reading my book and periodically looking up to see what Sam was currently working on.  The first time I raised my head to her direction I couldn't find her.  It took a good few minutes of backtracking to find her coach and then eliminating my way thru the group of girls one by one until I was left with Samantha.  (Ok, maybe I am over-dramatizing just a bit.  It's true that I didn't pin point my daughter among a crowded floor of girls within seconds, but it is a crazy environment to begin with.)

Oh my gosh!  When did this happen?  When Sam get so grown up looking?  I swear in the  last month Sam has blossomed.  Her face is more mature and there are no signs of the little girl she used to be.  She has gotten so tall too!  And with her hair the longest its been in years, she is aging faster than I can keep up.

I am not sure why this revelation is hitting me this way.  I was just with the kids every day, all day long for over 2 weeks -- seriously! There. Was. No. Separation. At. All.  But yet when I go to quickly find her in the crowded gymnastics "circus" (no better word for the chaos that is the place Sam does gymnastics), I couldn't easily spot her.  My memory of what Sam should look like hasn't progressed.  I think I just got zapped with a big dose of "My baby is growing up."

It's a bit weird when this happens and you realize it.  She is only 7 1/2 years old.   Today 7, tomorrow 27.

See what I mean....Where's my baby girl???

All grown up!