Growing up...

Derrick has been my BABY for a while now. Granted he does not drink from a bottle, nor does he wear diapers, but he is MY baby. I love to snuggle him, read him stories, sing to him, get his loves and kisses. I spoil him, and let him get away with too much, I have a hard time leaving him with others. He has a hard time being away from me (separation anxiety??) He is a joy for me on an almost daily basis.

This morning I woke up and was pleased to find that he had not gotten in our bed last night. He loves to sleep with us and frequently gets up in the night and comes to snuggle in (i.e. kick me in the back, lay his head on my stomach, sleep right on top of me). Last night he came in our room, but since we had talked with him about mommy needing sleep, so he can't get in bed with us, he camped out on the floor. When I looked down on him sleeping it was like a freight train hit me, he is not a baby any more. He is getting so tall. Those little arms and little feet are not so little any more. His limbs are elongated, his teeth all in. He is growing up.

Now, obviously I already knew this, but seeing him all stretched out on the floor, as long as my dresser, just made it soooo real. My baby is growing up. Pretty soon he will be blushing when I yell, "I love you" as I drop him off at school. He will be too busy to sit still on my lap and read goofy stories because he will want to be out with his friends. He won't want to spend every second with me, just because it is me. And I am okay with that. I love the way life progresses, I look forward to days of playing board games with my kids, and watching movies I will actually enjoy rather than Dora and Cailou over and over and over and over. But for now, I will cherish the moments.