I loved raising little kids. Now that mine are 11 and 15, parenting is much more chill.

The author looks back fondly on her kids' childhood but also likes parenting older kids.

Courtesy of Lindsay Karp I look back fondly on the time when my kids were little.

However, now that they're 11 and 15, motherhood has changed.

I like this version of being a parent, too.

"I just want to hug you forever." As those words spilled from my 3-year-old's mouth, I wanted to stay in that moment for eternity.

One day, he'll wake up and realize there's a whole world out there, I thought, and hugging me will be a memory from his childhood .

Eight years later, I can still feel that hug.

Every day, Apple rounds up featured photos of my past, throwing me back into the days of diaper changes and nighttime feeds.

From tiny feet and chubby legs to park playdates and brotherly snuggles, I imagine a time and place that no longer exists.

A world of picnic lunches outdoors, story time at the library, and endless superhero dress-up sessions returns to me in a foggy haze.

So long ago — yet so near — I can almost feel his arms squeezing me on that spring afternoon as he said the words that melted my heart in an instant.

I loved their childhood years And each morning, scrolling through photos of my little boys, a piece of me yearns to go back.

For a split second, I want to hold my babies again and be the mother they rely on for their every need.

But then I remember the tears, the sleepless nights , the frequent colds, and the fury resulting from a missed nap.