growing up.

This morning while drinking my semi-cold cup of coffee and "facebooking", I watched Delia occupy herself with one of those learn to walk push toys.  She got it for Christmas from Nana and Pop Pop (my parents) and while she's played with it here and there, she's never spent this much time with it until today.  She talked and laughed to herself, pushed it around into the couch and wall and figured out how to back up or turn it in the direction she wanted it to go.  It's then that I realized how big she really has gotten.  She's definitely out of newborn and infant stage.  She's a toddler now.  She's walking and exploring things on her own.  She's getting into my kitchen cabinets, trying to climb up stairs and destroying every room she's in.  She laughs at the dog.  She tries to immitate some of the sounds and words that I say.  She kisses me goodnight.  She's far from the tiny little 7 lb baby I brought home from the hospital.  She will always be my baby though.  It's now that I understand why parents hold on to their children as tight as they can.  I know it's a ways off, but how will I ever let go?