Still little

Sometimes it's funny how parenting works. These kids are in front of you every day. You see them so much that their growth happens right before your eyes, yet you don't see it. I can visit with a niece or nephew I haven't seen in months and their growth is immediately apparent. But somehow, when it's right there in front of you it just slips by. 

And now that my youngest is 9, I am in that stage where he's still little, but he wants to be grown up. He's got so far to go to catch up to his brothers, but he wants to get there. Really, he's still a little boy, but he is moving into the pre-teen category. He's in-between. And when you're a kid, who wants to be there?

Today was one of those days I looked at him and something just struck me. It was one of those moments that make a mom misty as she just freezes for a moment and takes in the wonder of that child. As hard as he wants to be a big guy, he is still little. A funny, goofy, little care-free boy. I was driving him to his last day of summer cub scout camp this morning. I made a quick trip through the Dunkin' Doughnuts drive through for breakfast on the way. We stopped at a traffic light. I looked over at him with his little hat on and the sunglasses that he thinks make him look tough propped up on the hat. His face was covered in crumbs from his Oreo filled doughnut. He had a backpack next to him that was as big as him. He's trying so hard to be big, but he's still little. But he won't be for long. And I'm glad I took notice today.

Always trying to be big - playing "co-captain" on his Uncle Phil's boat.