Friday, August 26, 2011

side note

day before yesterday we got Daniel some new boxers. Nothing spectacular right there I know.  what makes me blog about it is that once again we switched aisle in the store. I remember shopping with Kristen at target when our boys were still toddlers, and I remember having to leave the baby aisle to go accross to the boy aisle. It may seem silly to most, but for a mom (or is it just me?) it's telling of our child's growth and inevitable separation from us. For Daniel's boxers we had to go to the ADULT side of the store!!! It was a shock! really!!! I make myself feel better by saying that underwear sizes are screwy and always have been. Still though, it's telling of a big step towards...my boy becoming a man. I know I know, this is a tad drama queen of me to say, but it doesn't make it less true! From the moment we get pregnant we have to get used to the idea of cutting that cord! Pregnancy is really the only moment they are really ours, though we wait for one thing only, seeing our child's face. birth is the 1st big step towards their independence. then they sit, then crawl (away), then walk (further away).  Soon comes school along with the rude awakening that we no longer know what goes on in every minute of their day, not only that but he purposefully keeps information to himself! "So how was school? fine! what'd you do? nothing! who'd you play with today?! I don't remember! (insert heavy annoyed sigh here)" ugh!!! At 13 we sill go through the same questions and answers (you'd think i'd learn!!!)
Daniel has been growing really fast and has gotten almost completely caught up on the growth chart! More importantly, this summer we've seen him grow mentally. Actually making choices for himself, grown up type choices, about what he eats and why, what's right for him (or wrong), making mature choices instead of childish temper tentrums, etc...  When he was a baby my favorite thing was watching his brain at work, I loved that!! Watching him figure out how to stack blocks, or fit in a square puzzle piece in place, or even being in front of a plant and thinking about suppressing his urge to touch it so he wouldn't get in trouble. I found all that fascinating. I have gotten to experience that all over again. He has been changing/growing so much and so fast. I can watch him think and see his thought process at work. it's just as fascinating today as it was 13 years ago!
So here we are, he is 13 yrs 8 mo old. we've switched aisles again. and as i watch him grow, I start to get little glimpses of what's to come. these are exciting times for a parent. I just hope we haven't screwed him up too much!!!

2 comments:

chris said...

When you say 'we' you mean you, right? Cuz I'm not screwing him up. I give him good advice, like ' Don't jerk the trigger, gently squeeze it between heartbeats'. Dad stuff.

Stan said...

Chris, the sentence itself is a mom stuff. Dads never say such things... They know they've screwed a few things but the kid should survive...