Growing Up

I took this picture of Liam in the bathtub a couple of days ago, trying to get a funny shot of his hair in a faux hawk. Instead, what I ended up capturing was a glimpse into his teen years. Despite his skinny little body, his face is void of all childish looks and he looks the oldest I’ve ever seen him look. It just kills me.

We discovered last night that he’s four-and-two-thirds now, and soon it will be four-and-three-quarters and then FIVE! He’s starting young fives or kindergarten in the fall (which one, we’re still not certain) and while he’s been in preschool for two years, I can hardly believe I have a child who will be in “real” school. When did he grow up? It’s so cliché but the reason things are cliché is because they are so true. Where does the time go?

I know he’s still a relatively little kid but he’s growing up so fast. After the same amount of time passes that he’s now been alive, he’ll be approaching 10! It reminds me to stop and cherish these moments, even when I’m wishing he would just stop talking for one minute so I could hear myself think, because soon he will be that teenager and not as willing to talk to his mom (though I suspect Liam will never stop talking – he seems to enjoy it more than anyone I know). I think this is why people end up having more children, because suddenly they realize this magical part of childhood is fleeting and they want to extend its shelf-life. 

I certainly feel the pull to have a third child (Simon, not so much and he’s certainly key in making it happen which means we’re pretty stuck at 2) but I am also reminded that it just keeps getting better. Soon we’ll be able to go to the grocery store or a restaurant without whispering threats under our breath about good behavior, we’ll be able to let our kids out of our sight without fear of what destruction they will cause (though I know bad behavior extends far beyond the toddler years with far more serious consequences) and we’ll be able to go on vacation without having to give ourselves a million pep talks and hours of advanced planning and packing lists. It will get easier and harder all at the same time and while I suspect it will be better, I’m not quite ready for it yet.

So this morning, rather than jumping up and getting ready, I cuddled on our bed with my big boy, revelling in the fact that he was holding my hand and resting his head on my shoulder. These moments won’t be around forever.