Time Flies Fast Enough to a Senior Prom..

Almost 18 years ago, I remember my sister's swollen belly, feeling the kicks of her first born while she was still safe and sound, away from all of the chaos the world has to offer..

After she was born, Samantha Joann became the most incredible tiny human that ever walked the face of the earth. She became my own personal baby doll. I got to feed her and dress her, and sing preschool songs (mostly The Wiggles or Barney)and swore that the reason I stayed fit was because I was dancing with Captain Feathersword, and chasing after her every weekday! When I wasn't with her, I was at school, and eventually working. At the time, one of the seasonal jobs I picked up was at The Children's Place. Oh my gosh... I remember that year on Easter, Auntie-Easter-Bunny went a little overboard and purchased the ENTIRE new spring line, and displayed them in a basket the size of an ottoman. 

I loved being a part of her life, and her sister's (who was born several years later) so much when she was so little... I was sad when she got older, and just because of distance (I lived in Florida, her family lived in New York) I missed a lot of the fun Elementary school stuff.. 

The best news was hearing that my sister and her family decided to move down to Florida, too!! When they moved down, I was excited to know that I could be a part of both Sammy & Brooke's lives again. 

So, life happens.. and well, Aunt Lauren isn't as cool as friends, and boys, and the mall. So, I stayed busy with my three kids. I still saw the girls as often as I could, and we share some holidays together, but there were no longer 3 hour Wiggles-Dance Parties happening. She had a permit, and was cheer captain, and homecoming court, and just got accepted to Florida State University! It all seemed impossible.. she was just 5!!! 

Fast forward a bit.... Then, one day, I got a phone call, asking if I wanted to come over before HER PROM to take pictures with her. UM. Prom?! I wouldn't miss it for the world!

Holy hell! My niece has officially become a young woman! She went with a friend from school and a group of really fun kids. They all looked dashing in their outfits, and even while stressing about how exactly to pin the boutonniere without stabbing her friend, she maintained poise, and just emanated beauty and grace.

In a few short months, she will be graduating and off to college... and I will get to go through the same denial and reflection trying to wrap my head around the fact that Sammy's baby sister, the two year old flower girl at my wedding, is going to prom.

It's a funny thing... life, how it just seems to fly by. When your a teen, it seems to drag out so slow, and you can't wait to be an aduult.. now, what I would give to have one extra hour.. to have one more three-hour-Wiggles-Dance-a-thon.