If I had a magical mirror, I would not wish for eternal beauty. I would wish to slow the hands of time.

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I might even wish for a pause. A pause in time to just catch my breath and freeze the way daughter is right this very second. Before becoming a parent, people warned me that I would blink my eyes and my daughter would go from a tiny, perfect bundle in my arms to asking for the car keys. My daughter is only a toddler and time is already moving at such an accelerated pace that I cannot absorb all of the changes that happen day to day.

Father Time always seems to be the uninvited guest at childhood birthday parties. My daughter has six little friends and the majority have birthdays that fall within one month of one another. As these seven tiny tots gather to celebrate, we parents sit back and marvel at how much our munchkins have changed in the thirty brief days since we last gathered.

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We watch these seven run around and giggle when only a few short months ago they could not even roll over. As we chime in to sing the “Happy Birthday” song once again, I make a wish of my own as the candles are blown out…to keep her little, if only for a moment.

Since I do not possess a magical mirror, here are some alternatives to pressing the pause button:

Wish #1 To Keep You Little: When You Were In My Belly

I endured a long, hard road before finally becoming pregnant with my daughter, Madeline. Maybe it was because of all of my struggles, but I loved being pregnant. I did not even mind morning sickness. I would emerge from the bathroom and weakly announce to my husband, “They say the sicker the mom, the healthier the baby!”

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If you are currently expecting your own little miracle, there are a few things you can do to preserve these nine months that will fly by before you know it.

• Keep a journal- Journals Unlimited makes beautiful spiral bound journals that you can fill in, as well as add your own notes and memories
• Take a weekly/monthly photo of your belly- You have never been more beautiful, Mama! Rock that baby bump!
• Do a 3D/4D ultrasound- These ultrasounds are pricey, but Groupon has great specials and it is worth every penny to “see” your baby wiggle in their watery home.

More wishes on page 2...