Where has all the time and nudity gone?

Not so long ago, my kids were nudists. They lived in a world where clothing was optional. More than once, I've had to prevent Gracie from showing her boobies to passers-by, and Bub has a lovely little triangular stitches scar on the left buttock from the time when diaperless flight was the best idea to be had.

Those days are long gone, and seemingly all at once.

During the summer, Bub was showering in the master bathroom. We have a shower stall with a clear glass door, and I came through the bathroom to put away laundry as I often do. As I came through, I noticed in the mirror that he was shifting to the back corner. "Uh, mom -- can I get some privacy?" he asked. As I was closing the door behind me, I knew things would never be the same. Our little one was growing up much faster than we cared to admit.

But at least I still had Gracie, who having just spent the last three months with a bathing suit up her backside, was still a long way away from being modest. Or so I thought. Tonight, I called her into the master for a bubble bath. Off came the jumper, off came the tee, off came the ruffly pink panties, and in their place was a little makeshift loincloth of 5-year-old hands, shielding herself from view. When she saw the puzzled look on my face, she gave me this goofy grin and said, "I don't want you to see my 'gina."

Sigh.