My Twice Baked Potato

“Now that you are eight years old…” I was talking to my son yesterday and he suddenly interrupted me.  “Did you just say out loud that I am 8?! ”  I smiled (and then sighed) and then started to say something unexpected. “Since you are one day away from 8, I guess I can’t call you 7 today.  I can’t even call you 7 1/2 or 7 3/4 because now…you are 8.”

“That’s right, Mama!”  He smiled and danced a bit, “I am a big boy now!”

I shouldn’t be surprised that saying “He’s eight” makes me a bit emotional.  Honestly, I can’t stop and think about it too long today because it makes me tear up!  Many of you know that our adoption story was long, uncertain, and a “made for TV movie” experience.  Perhaps that is why it is hard for me to say those words out loud.  Maybe it is because he loves to remind me that he is not my little boy and that he “will never be 7 or 6 or 5 again.”  Most likely, it is because although a challenging day might seem to drag on forever…this parenting thing is racing by.

On Saturday, it was his birthday party.  Yesterday, we went to see Monster’s University.  Today, he will have a quiet day at home and a family dinner tonight.  I imagine that he will pick the dinner of choice before he opens his gift; then we will celebrate his birthday with the rest of the family on the Fourth of July.  Closing out this busy week, we will celebrate July 6th, which was the day that we brought him home from the hospital at just 5 days old.

I still remember what it was like to see him for the first time, he took my breath away!  I remember what it felt like to pick him up and feed him while I rocked him in my arms.  In some ways, it seems like a life time ago and in other ways, it feels like yesterday.  Sometimes, I am afraid to blink because things change so quickly.  In a blink of an eye, we were no longer shopping in certain clothes stores or going to library reading time.  We no longer even get the Mini Boden catalogue…just Boden.

Before the party, I watched my boy typing and programming on the computer and was amazed by his determination, focus & persistence.  These are the traits that I hope will serve him well.  After Saturday’s party, he was tired and needed a bit more attention than normal; those are some of the traits that remind me that he is just a little boy.

Birthdays have a way of reminding us about how fast time goes by.  I hah heard from many parents, “Enjoy it!  It goes SO fast!”  Honestly, I didn’t believe any of them until I had my own child.  So today, is a reminder to appreciate each day no matter how easy or difficult that day of parenting might be. 🙂

Happy Birthday, My Sweet Boy!