These ladies walked into my life the fall of  my freshman year of college. They have been firmly engrained there ever since.

Labor Day 2013 marked the second annual girls weekend get together. Last year we all stayed in one home, this year we had to upgrade to two house with the addition of the 9th baby, the ever adorable Emma Katherine. So that’s 8 adults and 9 kids together for a weekend of fun and celebration.

Labor Day 2012

Labor Day 2013

We planned activities. There was the zoo outing.

I think the men would have rather walked on hot coals then spend hundreds of dollars on a barely touched and poorly cooked lunch from the overcrowded eating area at the zoo.

This was about the time that we all decided it was best to abandon ship and go home.

Although we did have moments like this:

And this:

There was alot of this over the course of the weekend:

Great conversation and great cuddles.

It dawned on me at one point during the weekend that we have entered a new phase of our friendship. Emma will most likely be the last baby of this bunch.

It’s actually really sad for me to think. I feel like I have just passed through my own intense period of parenting and in my head always thought I had plenty of time to love up all of my friend’s babies and pass on that well-earned wisdom. Ah not so much.

My head has been down these last nine years focusing on getting through the trenches of babyhood that I forgot to look up and love on those that call me “Aunt H”.

I always wanted a big family, four kids at minimum. I realize that the chances of me having more children are slim to none but what hit me hard Labor Day weekend was that because of these ladies I do get the chance to be a part of a large, rambunctious family.  More moments connecting with all of these children will be in my future.