I have learned that my middle child, Gracie, doesn't do anything until she is darned well ready to do it.

For example, riding her bike.  She is almost 7, and going into 1st grade next year.  She has been riding her bike with the training wheels, and had no interest to learn how to ride it without them.  One day, a few weeks ago, she came up to me and told me that she wanted me to teach her how to ride her bike.  I held onto the seat and off she went.  That was it.  Now, she's riding her bike without the training wheels.

Same deal with tying her shoes.  Yesterday, she came to me and asked me to teach her how to tie them.  I showed her once, and now she can do it herself.

I love these milestones...kind of.  It's just all going way too fast.  I almost feel frantic about holding on to every single second of it.  Gracie didn't see me, but I cried last night after she tied her shoes.  My little, spindly legged baby is growing up.

Yes, I am a big sap when it comes to my kids.

I watched her, all dressed in pink, with pink bike and pink bike helmet riding down the street last night, freshly tied shoes, with a huge smile on her face.  I thought about running into the house to grab a camera, but instead I just stopped and watched her, and took a picture in my mind.  I will bring that picture up for many years to come, I am sure.

Gracie asked if she could sleep with me last night.  I always say yes to that request!  She wanted to read me a bedtime story.  It was about a slow moving snail that finally caught up with the others when the time was right.  Once again, I didn't let her see the tears in my eyes.

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