On the way to dance class blaring Justin Bieber’s “Oh, Baby,” and yelling it at the top of our lungs…we get there and my 4 year old asks…”Where’d she go, Mommy?”

There something about listening to teeny bopper music with my little girls that makes me feel like a kid again, myself.  I revert immediately back to my boom box blaring self.  NKOTB pumping out at the highest possible decibel until the speakers were permanently ‘scratchy.’

So, when my 4 year old asked me to play some Justin Bieber, my answer was a resounded yes.  I had been waiting for her to ask for two reasons…one, I love Justin Bieber.  Two, I need an excuse to blare the car stereo and have dance parties in the kitchen.

Knowing there were only fun times to be had here, I was blown away anyway…by my 22 month old.  As we are jamming in the car, singing “Baby, Baby…” at the top of our lungs…I hear a third voice.  It’s Lo.  Joining the party.  She joins in for the last “Ohhhhh!” Priceless.

Dancing around like crazies in the kitchen, shoulder shrugging and jumping up and down…ahhhh…a piece of childhood relived.

It’s in these moments of life that I realize everything all at once.  How blessed I am, how fun this is, how full circle life is…and just how badly I want to hit the pause button.

 [youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eLPa2wMFl5U&w=560&h=315]

My little dance party girl

It’ll sound silly to half of you, but this is my last year with a true ‘toddler’ schedule.  Next fall, Brianne will be in school five mornings a week.  The year after that, Lo will start pre-school and Brianne will enter all day Kindergarten.  I knew these first years would be fleeting, but knowing that upfront doesn’t seem to be  enough to shore up the ball of tears that well up in my throat when I picture my kids in school all day.  No more shopping buddies, play groups, library story times…it’s going to be tough to let go of.

Though I always look back at the ‘baby’ and ‘toddler’ stages my kids have gone through with a tinge of nostalgia, the ‘next’ things they do are always just as great.  But letting go of ‘toddler’ all together?

I will be that mom.  The one that will wave goodbye with a smile when the Kindergarten bus comes, and bawl my eyes out when it leaves.  My babies…

They can have all the Justin Bieber dance parties they want.   Right now, it’s pure innocence.  Pretty soon, they’re going to understand what he’s singing about, and I might not be so quick to oblige.  Ugh…I’ll probably cry then, too.  LOL.

Happy “Bieber Fever!”

Megs