I’d say it’s with joy, but it’s also with a bit of difficulty, that I make these milestone announcements. It’s a blessing to see your child age well – to plump up, speak up, and eat up…up and up and up – until you take a moment to look at a few old pictures and realize your children are growing right out of your grasp; then it doesn’t always feel like a blessing, on first thought at least.
Garner is trying out a one day a week daycare program today – he had to have a lunchbox, his clothes had to be labeled, and he had to be respectful and not bite. He’s started mimicking everything Kim and I do – including calling his Mama by her real name, Kim. He has a best friend now, which makes him seem 10 years old – they knock on each other’s doors and play together and laugh and wrestle and argue and share and don’t share. He needs frequent haircuts, brushes his teeth, says his prayers, chooses his pajamas, and has opinions. And he likes things, which makes him seem 10 years old – Spongebob, Lightening McQueen, and dinosaurs and monster trucks…and he is even beginning his first moving on stage, as Thomas the Train is becoming cold. I think he’s getting his driver’s license tomorrow, and getting married next week.
And Riley, he’s working through his second size of clothing, his cheeks are like squirrels who are preparing for winter, he slept 10 hours last night, and he’s eating rice cereal twice a day. He rolled over the other day and smiles at everything, and cackles every time he hears his name – I hope Riley isn’t a funny name…hopefully Riley’s just a funny kid. He loves Garner almost as much as Garner loves him, and he’s got a tooth popping through his top gum. I think he’s entering the spelling bee tomorrow, and making a Valentine’s card for this girl that’s just a friend next week.
Everyone tells you to hold each moment and clinch it tightly; all young parents have heard the words, “they’ll be grown before you know it.” I’m conceding to that. Even though Garner is not yet two and a half, and Riley is not yet a half, it’s fleeting. It is, really. I’d tell them both to slow down, but, in the end, it’s a blessing to see your child age well. Kim may say differently – she just called. She dropped Garner off at day care for the first time…he closed the door in her face and ran to a crowd of toys and kids.
It’s fleeting, honest, it is.
