One day it just stops.
You begin to walk instead of crawl, and although your parents had long anticipated it, they didn't realize it would be quite so soon. They thought they had more time to prepare themselves for when their baby finally started walking. You didn't know it was going to be your last time crawling, and you certainly didn't know that your first steps were not just the end of your crawling days, but the beginning of so much more.
One day it just stops.
First day of Kindergarten. Your mom has been dreading it, and she can't help but shed a tear as she drives away from the school after dropping you off. You didn't realize it, but the days of being with mom all the time were over. You didn't know that as you were walking into the school building for the very first time that things were going to be changed forever.
One day it just stops.
You start picking out your own outfits. Your mom just smiles as you come out in something that looks completely ridiculous. She doesn't care that you don't match, she's too caught up in the fact that her baby is old enough to pick out their own clothes. You didn't realize that there would come a day when you started picking your own outfits, but then it's there and that's it. No more relying on Mom to pick out the outfit and do your hair. It's all on you now.
One day it just stops.
Your parents stop tucking you into bed. You're old enough to tuck yourself in at this point. As they watch you walk towards your room, you all feel a bit sad realizing they won't walk you to your room, pull the covers up to your neck, sing you a lullaby/ tell you a bedtime story, or kiss your forehead as you doze off ever again. They, as well as you, didn't know that last night as they sang "Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star", that would actually be the last time they would ever sing it to you. You haven't heard your mom sing it since and didn't realize that the last time she took you to bed would be the last time you would ever hear her melodic voice sing the sweet tune.
One day it just stops.
You use to go outside with your sibling(s) every day, running around the yard, riding bikes, playing games that you thought were never going to end. Until one day, it does. There are no more climbing trees, filling the concrete with chalk drawings, or dribbling the ball up and down the pavement. On the last day before it all ended, you didn't realize that was it. Tomorrow you wouldn't go outside, and every day after that would be filled with new activities. Your bike would be permanently put away, and maybe if you had known that the relationship between you and the bike was coming to an end, you would have made that last bike ride extra long.
One day it just stops.
Your mom or dad don't drive you to school anymore. You finally get your license and refuse to let your parents drive you anywhere anymore. No matter how hard of a time they give you about your driving skills, they're so proud of you. You can't remember the last time they drove you to and from school because you didn't realize that at some point it was going to end. They would pick you up every day and drill you with questions on how your day was and whether you had homework. At the time, you thought it was so annoying but then you start driving and find yourself missing the thousands of questions.
One day it just stops.
You're a senior in high school. You find yourself experiencing many things that you are used to doing often for the "last time." You know that soon it will all be over. No more high school football games, field trips, tennis matches, proms, or any other high school activities. You know it's coming, but it still comes as a bit of a surprise. You get around to May, walk across the stage, and all too soon it stops. You're done.
One day it just stops.
Suddenly you're an adult. You're leaving for college, and it comes way too quickly. You find yourself standing in the middle of your dorm room, wondering where all the time went. You're on your own now, and you can't help but think back to the days that you were outside riding your bicycle. You wish you could have known when all of the "last times" were so that you could have made them more memorable.
One day it just stops,
And you realize that you just got off your last bike ride.
