Thursday 7 February 2013

Growing Up

Seems to me it was some time last week that we brought this snuggly little baby home from the hospital.


While I wasn't looking he turned into a big kid, and I still just can't wrap my head around it.  One day I was nursing him in the silent darkness of the night, snuggling him close, and smelling that sweet baby smell, and it seems the very next day he talked, and crawled, and walked, and talked and talked and talked!  Now he is 4 and he is doing so many amazing big kid things!  

He puts away his laundry...
Very helpful indeed
He makes his own bed...

And he cleans up his spot at the table after meals...

All important things to learn, and as you can see he is 'learning.'  I love his eagerness to help, and I am working hard on my urge to clean up after his efforts, because I know he is doing the best his 4 year old brain and body and coordination allow.

He is showing his big kidness in other ways too.

He is such a patient, kind, loving big brother.  I am so proud of the way he is with Cooper, he is gentle, and protective, because that is HIS little brother.  

He is so bright, so smart, and such a great problem solver.  We do 'school time' together every afternoon, where we do different learning activities.  The growth I have seen in him since September astounds me.  He is so eager to learn, so full of interest, and excitement for learning letters, and words, and sounds, and numbers, and math.  He is like a sponge, he knows so much more then I realize.
Working on a new sight word book

Sight Word Towers are his favourite school time activity right now
When he plays this game:
Source
He channels this guy:
source
The ease at which he completes the puzzles is ridiculous!

Last week (I thought is was last week anyway) we were waist deep in Nemo and Caillou.  Now we have moved onto big boy things.  Star Wars is life right now.  As we strolled through the grocery store Lucas repeatedly hummed the Darth Vader Music.  I caught several knowing smiles from other moms.  It would seem they remember being where I am now.



Deeply engaged in a Star Wars library book
So as it would seem, my baby is growing up.  This morning I walked my big boy into school for the first time.  We registered him for Kindergarten.  It seems like a small thing, a small step, but it is a new beginning.



So many of you have been here before.  I wonder if you remember how it felt the very first time you let them go, even just a little bit.  I sit here with an unparalleled feeling.  I mourn for what has passed by and is gone, I revel in what he is right at this moment, and I am so excited for all the future holds for him.  

-Lex

3 comments:

  1. Sigh… I teared up this very morning, taking Eliza to this very building, opening up the gate to the kindergarten yard, hugging her goodbye and closing it after she walked through. There is no other feeling like watching her interact with her little friends, race to line up when the school bell rings, and march into the building to start a new day; a day that would be all her own. I still tear up (briefly) because this age is such a mix of their utter innocence, sweetness, maybe just a touch of that babyness still left, and absolute awe and delight at the sight of them going off on their own, entering 'their' world.
    -Lesley

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  2. What you don't know is that it will ALWAYS feel like it was just last week that you brought that tiny newborn home. You guys are talking about my grandbabies, and I feel the same way about Lucas' mommy and Eliza's daddy. Double sigh...

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  3. what a guy,love him so much!
    -Avery

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