It’s really nothing extraordinary but it’s, I guess, a familiar feeling that comes to all parents from time to time. Anyway, it was during that moment that I realized how much the two boys have grown in two years. Miguel is already as big as other elementary school children out there. Looking at his photos last year made me realize that he doesn’t look like a baby anymore. He’s grown taller and lost some baby fat in a span of just a year.

Meanwhile, I still couldn’t believe that Rafa used to be a tiny baby when he was born (he was premature by a week). He was also a fairly quiet baby who fell asleep easily in his stroller. Now, that he’s in his Terrible Twos, he’s always running around and insisting to do things his way. He would hit his cousins and sometimes even Miguel. He would scatter his toys and just try his best to disarrange things and play with household items that are easy to break.

I realized that night (as well as the previous night when things are slowing down) that it’s not easy to raise kids. The greatest truth about parenting is that taking care of kids is tiring and frustrating. They will test the limits of your patience and you will surely lose it from time to time.

At the same time, I’m secretly wishing that they would stay as kids forever. Never grow old and just be playful little rascals.

As it is, they’d just grow up so fast and then we’d wake up one day that they’re completely different persons. They’re not the naughty little boys that we’ve known them to be. One day, they’d want their own life and they’d want to do things their way. One day, we are their entire world, the next day, they’d treat us like aliens.

That’s when I realized that despite the test of patience, the raised voice, the sleepless nights because they’d wake up in the middle of the night, the endless crying, and all, we will miss all of the tender moments someday.

So, for now, I’d just enjoy each moment. I’d enjoy the little giggles and the chaos of having two toddlers. Beyond being disorderly, Miguel and Rafa are the sweetest boys in the world.

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