Today Thing One is nine years old. I know people say this all the time, but it really does seem like it was just last year that he was born. Time really flies. It was a morning much like this one-- beautiful, sunny, with a whiff of autumn-- that I found myself walking up and down our little road, stopping every few minutes, so I could double over, hug myself and moan quietly during contractions. (Mr. MarathonMum kept an eye on me during my walk, but standing at our front door, clutching a mug of coffee.)
Thing One hit a few new firsts this year: His first cello concert. His first sailing lesson. His first overnight camp-out (when I picked him up the first thing he said, after a weekend of camping, was "Please can we go home now? I'm tired of the outdoors."). His first (and hopefully only) Harry Potter scar.
It's funny how now that he's older, the milestones he reaches are much more subtle. I went back and read last year's happy birthday post and everything I wrote last year is still true. He still loves to read. He still loves Monopoly. He still loves golf. He especially still loves all things electronic, especially the Wii that he and his brother saved up and worked for.
But I think, as time marches onward, that what we're beginning to see what sort of man he might become through these subtle milestones. Every once in a while, he'll do something that will leave me speechless. Like the time we walked past a homeless man, begging for money, and Thing One turned to me and said, "Can I have my allowance early so I can give it to that man who needs something to eat?"
Undoubtedly, Thing One is growing up. No longer does he run out of school, throw his arms around me, and give me a big hug and a kiss at the end of the day. He's too cool for that. But he still (shh!) sleeps with his blanket and he still has select stuffed friends who he loves, especially Alex, our WWF polar bear we adopted.
Even if he is too cool to kiss me in public now, he will always be my little boy. On to double digits.
Happy 9th Birthday Thing One!
1 comment:
It does feel like it was just yesterday you called to say he had arrived. We were just glad you finally named him! He has grown into such a lovely, gracious young man!
-Kathy K
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