There is nothing I love more than looking back at toothless smiles or hearing our boys belly laugh. But some days, it takes real intention to slow down and savor it all. I have to remind myself that whatever feels urgent—work, dishes, laundry—can wait. Because this time with our kids is fleeting, and for the few years we have them at home, it’s up to us to make them feel seen, heard, and so incredibly loved.
Lately, I’ve been thinking a lot about milestones.
Not just the big ones—birthdays, first steps—but the small, quiet ones.
The first time they pack their own lunch.
The last time they call you “Mommy” instead of “Mom.”
Milestones aren’t just markers of time. They’re moments of presence.
The first tooth, the lost tooth.
The first word, the big feelings.
The first day of school, the last time they needed help tying their shoes.
They’re little flags in the ground that say: This happened. We were here. We felt this.
For me, milestones are how I slow time. How I notice. How I honor the in-between.
They remind me that we’re all still a work-in-progress—my kids, yes, but also me. I’m not the same mom I was when they were babies. And someday, I’ll look back on today and ache for how their voices sound right now.
Twelve years ago, we brought home our first baby—a tiny, wrinkly bundle who made us parents, flipped our world upside down, and changed everything for the better.
Now? He’s almost as tall as me. He has big ideas, a big heart, and a laugh that still stops me in my tracks.
This week, we’re off on our first big family vacation. It wasn’t planned around his birthday—it just happened to line up that way. But being away together, with both our boys, feels like the perfect chance to pause. To look back. To soak in how far we’ve come.
Because that’s the thing about milestones: they sneak up on you.
You blink and they’re walking. You exhale and they’re off to school. You turn your head and they’re reading chapter books and outgrowing their favorite sneakers.
And it’s not just the big milestones. The small, unremarkable ones add up too—and they turn into some of the most beautiful parts of the story.
Like the first time they buckled their own seatbelt.
Or when they finally slept through the night.
The first time they picked out their own outfit (backwards shirt and all).
The moment they learned how to whistle.
Or poured their own cereal without a trail of milk behind them.
That day they asked to read you the bedtime story.
The last time they reached for your hand out of habit.
The hundredth time they told that same silly joke—and it still made you smile.
I used to think milestones had to be big: birthdays, first steps, the first day of school. But over the years, I’ve come to treasure the in-betweens just as much. The quiet Saturday mornings. The spontaneous hugs. The goofy jokes at dinner. The new favorite book. The handmade cards.
Those are the moments I want to hold onto.
And that’s part of why I do what I do. Helping other families capture and celebrate these little moments has become one of my greatest joys.
Just this week, I sent a set of milestone blocks to my brand-new nephew. A whole new tradition beginning with a simple gift. I know they’ll be used for the classic monthly photos—but I hope they show up in the silly snapshots too. The first holidays, the quiet moments, the memories that don’t always make it into a baby book.
Because milestones matter.
Not just for the memory, but for the connection.
For the way they help us see each other.
For the way they say: You are growing. You are becoming. You are loved.
Whether you mark them with a photo, a handwritten note, or a little notch on the growth ruler—they tell a story. Your story.
This week, we’re doing a lot of soaking it in. Sightseeing and sibling banter. Hotel breakfasts. Sweet treats. Big yawns at the end of the day.
And I hope these are the things our kids remember. That we paused. That we played. That we were together.
I hope you find a moment this week to do the same.
Even just for a minute.
Because one day, they’ll be grown.
And the little memories you’re collecting now?
They’ll mean everything.
💛
P.S. Want a simple and sweet way to start your own milestone tradition?
Our milestone props are made for exactly this: everyday memories, big and small.
Whether it’s their first word, their first “I love you,” or just a cozy Sunday at home—grab your prop, snap a photo, and celebrate your family’s story as it unfolds. You’ll be so glad you did.
Baby Milestones
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