My Twice Baked Potato

We are all aware that our children are growing up.  This can be seen in obvious ways such as my son’s favorite shoes being too tight or his pants are so short that he resembles Gulliver amidst the Lilliputians.  My son left the house last weekend in high top tennis shoes (new) and sweat pants that were so small that I half way expected someone to give me a concerned look and slip me five dollars.

There are other ways that are more subtle…

Realizing one day that when we walk arm in arm, that his head is past my shoulder

Noticing how tall he is compared to “before” while he jumps around playing a video game

Seeing the space that he takes up as he lays stretched out on the couch

Due to my precious TBP’s sensory issues, he has been picked up before his classmates since he was in Kindergarten.  This accommodation prevents anxiety in the noisy and crowded hallways at the end of the day.  He walks through a hall in the main office, past the secretaries desk and counter, and is greeted by someone in the office waiting area to take him home.  For a long time, he would walk down the hall and appear only once he got to a certain point due to the desk that blocked my sight.  Recently, I noticed that even when he tries to sneak up on me, he is taller than the counter and must work hard to try and keep his presence a surprise.  Side note…I love the expression on his face as he signals the secretaries to keep his secret and he isn’t aware that his stomping shoes gave him away minutes before his actual arrival.

Along with the physical signs, his social maturity can be seen by…

His interest in classmates and asking me to contact friends for playdates

His self-control and ability to build stamina for homework or other undesirable activities has increased

His use of slang; however, he is so literal that he feels compelled to explain what it means as he shares his new saying…”That’s sick!  Not the kind of sick that is like the flu and is bad, but the good kind!”

I’m sure that I’m not the only parent that has mixed feelings about my son growing up.  It seems to me that we go at a steady pace and then all of a sudden we have left behind a “stage” that will not be revisited again.  Sucking his fingers, footy pajamas, and specific funny sayings are all things that I didn’t consciously expect would go away and then one day…they do.  I guess this is a good thing too.  There were stages that were not so sweet and I thought those would NEVER go away.  We all know about these!  These are the things that we don’t share in the Christmas letter or on our Facebook page!

I love the boy who my son is now and celebrate who he is becoming.  Do I wish that I could somehow control time and slow down the good days and speed through the challenges?  Oh yes!  I remind myself that there will be a day in the not so far off future that I will look back and wish for these very days!