I used to marvel at the change in Hanna every spring when we would take her to the park. I guess because enough time had passed during the winter, some major changes were happening both physically and emotionally but when that little person is standing right in front of you, it’s sometimes difficult to see exactly what those changes are.

A place like the park is a great setting to watch a child’s progression from one year to the next.

The first visit you chase the little one around, brushing sand from their clothes, holding their hand as they step onto a piece of playground equipment two inches off the ground but it takes every ounce of their energy and strength to hoist themselves up.

You leave feeling as though you have accomplished great things, never looking at the teeter-totters, the merry-go-round or the plastic, make-shift rock climbing wall. Those mountains will come in time.

Next year, your child begins to pump their legs on the big kid swing all by themselves. They graduate to the big kid area. They stand a little closer to the ducks when throwing bread.

Skip ahead to an eight year old who not only doesn’t need a push on the swing, she is swinging upside down, flipping onto the ground unassisted and even helping to hoist her baby sister onto the infant swing while giving her five year old sister an under-doggy.

This year, our five year old took on the new challenge of learning to crochet on the beach thanks to her very patient Grandmother.

First, Ellie decided to crochet sweaters for the family but quickly realized this first season she might have to settle for shrugs. Shrugs somehow morphed into scarves and we are now all sporting family bracelets, a reminder of Ellie’s big kid accomplishment, summer 2011.

Sometimes it takes the presence of a younger child to realize your kids have graduated from a stage of development before you became aware of it.

Today I watched a four year old boy eat a carrot as though he was Cookie Monster and the carrot was best eaten at rapid speeds, pieces flying in every direction, none of them actually making it into his mouth.

He gagged at the thought of eating celery but quickly nibbled in between self-induced chokes while an ice cream cone loomed in the distance.

I had forgotten about the games we used to play to encourage our kids to eat their vegetables, taking for granted that now, they just do.

Luckily, I have a carrot coloured crocheted bracelet to remind me how quickly they are growing up.