As a mom, there have been these moments throughout my kid's life that were evidence that he was growing up. I am sure there have been hundreds sprinkled in throughout the years, but a few have stuck with me harder than others. As per my usual way, I had to write them down.
The first one I distinctly remember is when he transitioned from watching Dora and Blues Clues to shows like Sam and Cat and Drake and Josh. It was such a small thing, but I had a hard time with it. I remember watching him catch jokes and laugh at different sarcasm and humor that I didn't realize he would understand. He pumped the brakes on Nick JR and officially switched to Nickelodeon.
The second one is when he started to feel ashamed about his stuffed animals. From the time he was a toddler, his bed was FULL of stuffed animals. He constantly added to his collection. As he got older, I watched as fewer and fewer animals made it into his bed at night. Eventually, he dwindled it down to three. He was having a friend come stay the night and as I walked in his room, I realized he was hiding his stuffed animals. I took it personally as if the stuffed animals had actual feelings. I guess we had watched Toy Story one too many times. One lone wolf remains today, Barkley, but he stays more on the floor under his bed than he does in plain sight. Occasionally I catch a glimpse of him.
The last one happened just a few short weeks ago. Since the 'Rona hit in early 2020, this kid decided to grow. And when I say grow, I do mean grow. He has officially bypassed me by an inch. We started the year wearing a youth large and hit an adult medium within a few short months. His newly found height was killing my wallet. After a pretty pricy trip to town, I had to do a major closet cleanout. Since he was a baby, I had continued to use the little white plastic hangers for his clothes. Even as a pre-teen, the hangers still worked perfectly. As I began to take everything out that no longer fit and hang his new clothes, it became evident that it was time to retire the little white hangers and replace them with adult-sized hangers. It was such a small thing but as I began removing them, I felt tears slowly fall down my face. It was just one more piece of evidence that time was surely not my friend.
I could name so many more of these moments. They range from ordering off the regular menu and declining the kid's menu, not having a single toy on his Christmas wish list, the first Christmas knowing Santa wasn't real, asking for a real Bible instead of his children's edition, asking to drive to the end of the road for practice, going to bed and not being asked to tuck him in and may we never forget the day he discovered he had armpit hair.
He will be 14 in three short weeks. As I think about the future in short term, I get a bit overwhelmed. He will be driving next year, beginning his senior year of high school in four years and leaving me shortly after. I know my years with him at home are nearing the home stretch. I also know the next few years will be filled with these small, evident moments that he is maturing and growing into the young man God has made him to be. The one constant thing that never changes is his need and love for his momma. He seems to need me more around homework and dinner time, but nonetheless, he needs me. I hope that follows him throughout the rest of his life.
I'm curious what your growing pain moments have been. Those little moments that sneak up on you out of nowhere and take your breath away. The ones that make you take a second glance at them and stop and thank God for the blessing it's been to be their mother. What a wild ride it's been this far. I don't know to be excited or terrified of what lies ahead.
