When you have your last child, all their firsts become your lasts.
All the milestones become more bittersweet than ever, as you accept that your time for experiencing them is over. That you will never again witness a child of yours take their first steps, say their first words, celebrate their first birthday.
Of course, each day brings new firsts; and the excitement and possibility and potential far outweigh the sadness at the lasts.
Nevertheless, these lasts take on special meaning, and become even more important to remember, to hold on to.
We knew when we celebrated the wee girl’s first birthday that it would be our last 1st birthday celebration. After the excitement of our first celebration for our eldest, and the somewhat less organised, but no less happy, celebration of our second 1st birthday for our younger son, we wanted to have special moments to remember, just for her.
We had been in the US for less than a year and we were yet to make the friends that now join us for our special events; we celebrated simply, as a family.
There were presents, there was cake, there was even a cake smash! Although the wee girl was not overly impressed with this and was much happier when we gave her a fork :)
And while it was a birthday of lasts, it was also a birthday of firsts. It was the birthday where I baked the cake for the first time. It was the birthday where we tried something new, inspired by another blog, for the first time. It was the first birthday I wrote about. (Both my photography and writing have come a long way since then!).
And, it was the day my youngest child celebrated her first big milestone, or as my sons would say, the day she wasn’t zero anymore.
Ahh this second baby will probably be our last so I’m going to savour all the “last” moments. I love that your little lady was happier with a fork :)
Yup, she then made a complete mess, but had to have the fork :)
I’m so with you on this and rather spookily linked up a post of lasts too! I emotional times aren’t they these lasts! love the high chair photo. #mycapturedmoment
They certainly are, so exciting for them, but bittersweet for us x
ah Sara yes all the firsts with your last child are such happy but have that end of an era feeling i feel exactly the same with Joe, its wonderful to see them grow up but a tiny part of you wants to freeze time xx
I know, it is so exciting and rewarding to see them grow, but it does all happen too fast!
Its seems only a second since mine were that young lol. They are 29 and 34 this year and i swear it went by in a flash x
I know, it really does so, so fast!
I’ve heard this about the last child’s milestones. It must be very bittersweet indeed.
It’s hard enough when it’s not (hopefully) your last child.
#mycapturedmoment xx
It is bittersweet, but the flip side is that it’s still exciting seeing them move on to the next thing :)
Aw what a lovely post! She’s gorgeous! #MyCapturedMoment
Thank you :)
Great post! Every time they reach a new milestone, it would be a bitter sweet moment… I know the feeling!
It is definitely bittersweet x
Aww, so emotional. I went through the “last” first birthday (and many other lasts). It’s rough but it makes me savour the moments all the more.
Thanks for sharing (and for linking up to the #SHINEbloghop).
Wishing you a lovely day.
xoxo
It does make you savour them more, doesn’t it? And, although it’s bittersweet, I do find each new stage wonderfully exciting :)
So bittersweet isn’t it Sara? Knowing this is your last child and all their firsts are also the last time we’ll do it. On the plus side once potty training is over we’ll never have to do that again ;-) xx
This is very true, I am exceptionally glad that I never have to do potty training again :)
Even though Tin Box Baby is less than 10 weeks old I’m already feeling a bit sad about some of her firsts that I’ll never see a child of mine do. She’s just worked out her hands are her own and her first smile happened weeks ago. Bittersweet times! #MyCapturedMoment
It is very bittersweet, each new milestone I do feel a small pang!
Awww!! Such lovely pictures and I know what you mean about savouring the last firsts. We have also had to face the last nativity play, sports day etc as our youngest went to high school *sniff. I love that your wee girl had to have a fork, mine would have been the same xx
The fork still makes me smile :) We have a lot more first/lasts to come!
We’re going through this with Elodie at the moment. She’s 10 months and it’s scary to know baby days as we know them, are nearly over for good. Although in many ways it’s sad, we are very happy having 3, so we just need to make sure we make the most of each stage xxx
Arrr such sweet pictures. The first birthday is always a special one and I feeli the emotion in this post x #MyCapturedMoment
This is so true I often think this with Poppy! Bittersweet is the perfect word to describe the feeling. Love these shots of little miss on her first birthday, especially the ‘cake smash’ one at the end. Thanks you so much for linking up to #MyCapturedMoment xx