A few days ago Jake lost a tooth. I think it was the last of the ‘baby’ teeth. He was at a rehearsal and came running out of the room with a blood-covered paper towel stuffed into his mouth, jammed the tooth into my palm, said “I wost a toof” and ran back into the session. No fanfare, no amazement at his own blood, just a tooth and a keyboard solo waiting to be played. When I reminded him that he needed to keep the tooth to put under his pillow he appeared insulted and asked me if I really thought he still believed in the tooth fairy. Exasperated, he said “I mean, I’m almost ELEVEN, Mom.”
Jake is my first born and I spent his early years wishing time would move faster. I was so tired and overwhelmed that I couldn’t wait for the next stage to arrive. I assumed that the next one would be easier. The next one would be less exhausting. But it never was — and I’ll never get those moments back.
This time it’s all going too fast.
Sometimes I just want to squeeze him and yell “slow down” or “stop growing”.
Thanks for reading.
{ 17 comments… read them below or add one }
Oh, I know what you mean. My oldest is 8 and is a wonderful sweet boy. I too kept looking excitedly ahead. I wish I had paid more attention to the present. Now my youngest is 14 months old and I wish I could make time stop.
Thanks for the reminder to enjoy these (exhasting) days with my son.
Such beautiful boys!
I’m completely shocked that India is 3 and a half, Willa is 6 and Bea is 8 (going on 15). How did this all happen? I always thought adults were a bit daft when they said that time goes faster and faster the older you get, but, boy, does it ever!
Ain’t that the truth! time flies…
My oldest is 6 and my youngest is 4. As I used to live in the future always planning and waiting for my "real" life to start, I was arrested when I became a mom. Everything stopped for me and time stood still. I had such a hard time trying to think of my infant growing up, changing. I couldn’t imagine what he would look like, curly hair, straight etc. I never wanted them to "speed" up as I could not imagine them older than they were.
When they started to walk and talk, I realized the walking stage was great because I didn’t have to carry them and break my back. The talking stage helped in 2 way communication. However, I still tell both of my boys to stop growing. They laugh and I laugh, but there is a small part of me that wants it to be so.
Putting facial hair on them in my brain, well that is just something I CAN’T do! It really messes with my head. All in good time I guess.
so very true….moments race past us and we hardly realize sometimes that they are gone! trying to stop, listen, laugh, hug, snuggle more!
Your boys are so precious – love your photos. And thanks for the reminder – so often I’m begging the clock to tell me it’s bedtime for them. I did enjoy our snuggles today though
Funny thing, I have never once heard of any child willing to fulfill that request… mine wouldn’t do it either and I tried 6 times… must be something common to human kind… (: Thanks for blogging and sharing your thoughts with all of us…
Those moments are so wonderful- lost teeth and little firsts or lasts fly by fast! Those photos of your boys are great!
When my first was born, and people told me that they could barely remember their own children being so small, I thought – what kind of parent could forget this?
And now that she is nearly four and I find myself constantly calculating the hours till bedtime, I think – what kind of parent wishes this time away?
Perhaps we all do both…
Thanks for writing, and sharing those beautiful boys!
Thank you for the reminder. My babies are still little. I’m at that overwhelmed stage. If it doesn’t get easier – do you at least get more sleep? Oh how I love them and all their little parts. I wish they would stay little.
It’s hard to watch them grow! My youngest is now five. Ack! I wish I could keep them all in all their different stages. Ah well … what’s a mother to do?
My baby is five now and takes a vivid interest in the world around him, Yesterday he spotted your president right here in downtown Stockholm, but as it turns out it was an honest mistake: http://whatwouldleodo.blogspot.com/
He is SO handsome!
My parents always made us play along with the toothfairy even when we were too big. No fairy, no money under the pillow.
So if you ask any of us today (we’re all in our twenties) if we believe in Santa, you’ll get a resounding YES!!!
LMSO
Truly so. they do grow up fast. i’ll try to remember that as the days go by, to stop and embrace the little ones while they are little.
Oh, it’s so true! Just wait til he turns 13, and you sit and cry your eyes out because he won’t fit in your arms, and he won’t let you hold him anymore. Makes me misty just thinking about it!
Sorry, guess that didn’t help.
SO sweet.
i have been trying to comment on your feb 14 post, and can’t
those are beautiful moments to treasure.