If I Could Save Time in a Bottle

The other day I was looking through my photo files and I got looking back through the photos of Ryan that I’ve saved month by month. Somehow, even though I know how much he’s grown and changed, it was amazing to look at actual photos of him from months and months ago. Was he ever really that tiny and helpless?

I’d forgotten there used to be so much room when he was on the changing table.

I'd forgotten his arms and legs were ever that skinny.

I’d forgotten the Floyd hair and the “scrunchy face”.

His rapt attention to Daddy hasn’t changed, though.

Nor the way he sleeps with his bum in the air.

He’s always been a good laugher, especially for Daddy.

We see “space face” a little less often than we used to, but it’s still there.

I vaguely remember when he needed a little help to sit up. (And when his hair was so red!)

He can still fall asleep anywhere, anytime.

He still occasionally gives me this face, although it's a slightly less pudgy face these days.

I realize how much he’s slimmed down when I see this photo, when he really did look like the Michelin Man. Look at those arm creases!!

I remember being so proud of that first little tooth. As was he!

His first few incursions into the pool weren’t quite as exuberant as they are now. I forget that he wasn’t always such an old pro.

He’s always looked like a little angel when he sleeps.

Ever since he could reach dirt, he’s loved playing in it. And eating it.

Suddenly, he’s such a big, independent boy! Although I guess it wasn't really that sudden.

It’s only been 9-1/2 months, and already I’m looking back in amazement at how quickly time has gone by and how much he’s changed. What will it be like when I’m looking back five years, or ten years, or twenty years? I guess it’ll be just like this, only with a bigger pile of pictures to look back through.