Tuesday, April 22, 2008

too, too fast

After lunch my son took a bath.

And I cried.

Sitting on the floor next to the tub (like I do every day) I looked at the Little Mister and I was astonished. Since when can I see so much of his head over the edge of the tub? It took my breath away, and I was suddenly struck by how fast he's growing up.

This is hardly an original thought. Just about every parent in the history of time has had the same thought over and over again. I have even had this thought before, repeatedly. It hit me extra hard today, though. The Sergeant and I tried for so long to have a baby. The Little Mister was born 10 months and 16 days ago...and now we're like a runaway train, heading for the day when he won't be a baby anymore!

He is never still. He stands more often than he sits. He never stumbles when he cruises along the furniture...my brain wants to explode when I think he'll be walking soon! He stubbornly wants to feed himself everything, without help from Mommy. He's started emphatically shaking his head no, although sometimes I'm pretty sure it's just because it makes me laugh. He says "hi" very well, and "mamma" when he cries, and sometimes "dada"...and he tries to say a bunch of other words (kitty, bath, book, yes, ball, bye bye). He learns something new every day.

My tiny baby is becoming my little boy.

I know time won't stop. I know there will be more tears.

But there will be even more smiles.


I wanted to post a picture, too...but Blogger wouldn't let me. Perhaps it'll be my "Wordless Wednesday" tomorrow. :)

16 comments:

  1. I feel this deeply, too. My "Baby" turns five on Monday.

    *sniffle*

    Looking forward to the pic (Blogger is vexing me today too - my video isn't working. Gah.)

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  2. Oh I hear ya. I tear up over this quite often around here. Time just keeps marching on.
    sigh...

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  3. Although time won't stop, by you stopping and recording here you're holding time still for a moment. Beautifully written and your dragonfly photo is the cat's meow!

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  4. Yes - time does fly!! The one thing that should make you feel better is that you think that you will never get over being so sad about the fact that they grow older and you will get past that sadness. I don't know when or why or how it happens, but it becomes less sad and more joyous!!

    Nice to see you today - take care - Kellan

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  5. Ah yes. We were posting along the same lines today. I am SOOO glad Clara is FINALLY walking. But she's my last one, and she's finally walking. It was bound to be bittersweet. At least you know enough to cherish this time. With my first two I didn't.

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  6. I hear ya, Mama. And I know you probably already know that, but this feeling never goes away... well, at least not before they are 6.5. And I'm guessing never.

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  7. I had those thoughts when I could first see their heads over the kitchen counter, and then their shoulders and chests, and now the oldest is taller than me and can reach things that I can't. And I still look at them with awe and wonder and think, "How did I get so lucky?"

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  8. Oh no! You want to just put him in a bottle and not let him grow anymore. Just think of the smiles to come!

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  9. oh its so hard! especially since sometimes you just want them to grow grow, get potty trained, sleep thru the night, dress themselves, but then... you realize they arent your baby anymore. I found it was hardest up till about the one year/ 13 mth mark. then it was almost a bit easier to see them as the little boy they are growing into. if that makes any sense! (thsts from my mommy fried brain to yours!)

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  10. Oh, yes. Can you imagine before moms had cameras??

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  11. You are doing him such a favor by documenting his growth/words/funny moments/pics on this blog! What a wonderful way to hold on and remember these precious times!

    I clearly remember when my baby(now almost EIGHT) no longer fit under my chin when he sat in my lap. I cried too...

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  12. The trick is to stay present at every stage just as you are. Mine are 23, 19, and 12. It makes me sad to know I'll never nurse another baby, but I just went to my daughter's first college play and afterward we sat with the cast and had coffee and talked about politics. It always keeps being wonderful in a whole new way....

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  13. When I am in the thick of parenting and feeling beaten down I remind myself that these are the days of magic. When they are grownups we will reminisce about these days.

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  14. They grow up so fast don't they? I cant believe I have a 3 and (almost) 5 year old. Seems like only yesterday they were tiny babies. *tears*

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  15. I know this feeling way too well.

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