Six? How did we get to six?
It doesn’t seem possible that my boy child is six. I know for a fact that I have not authorized the advancing of his age, but sadly, my mommy powers don’t seem to have any effect on the growing up bits.
As with every year that has rolled past, I marvel at the boy and ultimately the man he is growing into. I remember fondly explaining to him about age three that there were somethings that he couldn’t do anymore because that was for babies (i.e. diapers) and since he was a big boy he needed to step up his game. Today, I’ve begun to talk to him about not about being a big boy, but about being a young man. (And for the record, young men have table manners that don’t include me seeing your knees.)
Every so often, I turn around and catch this glimpse of my young man. The one who is helpful and kind. The one who is sorting out his world on his own. The one who confidently asks our neighbors to come out and play. I see the early beginnings of a young man who reasons out why we can or can’t do things, instead of accepting them on face value (um, this is HARD on his mommy and requires the application of wine and hot baths to recover from). I see a child who realized for the first time that he had things that others didn’t and WANTED to share.
I remember when he was a baby, and I was exhausted, how people would tell me that this time flies. Honestly, I didn’t believe them. A day is still 24 hours and frankly we have a lot to do. But I look back on these six years and think about how far we’ve come. I think how much I’ve grown up as a person and as a mom. I see Prince swell with pride when he looks at his son. I see the joy in both their faces as father shares some piece of geeky goodness with his son. (The day that Duke asked to watched Star Trek went into the baby book, I think.) I watch my son as he learns something new and the pride he has once he has mastered it. He is so like his mom and so like his dad — there are times I see each of us in him so clearly. Yet he is totally and completely his own person — so different from both of us.
He crawled into my lap yesterday morning and he was more knees and elbows and a whole lot less squish than ever before. I just held on tight to my growing little man and he hugged me. Finally, he sat back and said, “Mama, tomorrow I’m going to be six.” “Yes, Buddy, you are. Are you ready to be six?” “Oh, yes, I think six will be a good year for me. Then I’ll be seven.” “Can we just enjoy being six and not think about seven yet — I don’t think Mama can handle it.” “Oh, sure, Mama, when you are ready — we will talk about seven. For right now, I’m going to be six.”
See what I mean — that boy is wise. Wise beyond his years.
August 8th, 2009 at 9:43 am
I hope your son had a lovely birthday, and that six will be a good year for both of you. I just have one question, though….does it snow in Snarksville?! Just wonderin’!