On "Aha" Moments.....

I had what could best be described as an Oprah "Aha" moment yesterday. I was put in charge of taking The Boy to a batting lesson. This is usually The Husband's domain. In fact, I had never taken him before, so the drive out into the country with The Boy giving me directions ("Um, I think that is it...NO, it was back there!") was a little challenging. When we finally arrived at the building where this lesson takes place, there were a couple of guys there finishing up their lesson. Now these were high school boys...and every time they hit the ball, I flinched a little bit and Little One's eyes got really big. The Boy grinned and nodded as if to say "Yeah, pretty good, huh?" Now The Boy didn't sit by us...he made his way over to the bench across from us. As I watched him, I felt a little tug at my heart. A couple of years ago...maybe even last year...he would have sat near me and felt very nervous in this situation. I can still remember having to talk him into staying at a particular game because he was nervous. Well, those days are gone. As he sat there with his batting gloves on, helmet in one hand and bat in the other, he looked so much older, chomping away on his gum.

When the older boys finished, The Boy jumped up and ran in to help them pick up buckets of balls. This is the kind of kid The Boy is. Always happy to help...(well, except at home). I introduced myself to his instructor, a former player and very nice man, and sat down and waited. It had been a few months since I had seen The Boy hit. The Husband had told me he was much improved, but he was already a good hitter, so I hadn't given it much thought. But when he walked up and started smacking the ball...I flinched. ...Little One turned to look at me like "Wow," And Little One is not one for "wows". Here is the thing...it wasn't so much the good hitting that got to me...though he was really hitting well....it was....how old he looked doing it. He looked 16...He looked like those previous boys....And suddenly, my heart hurt a bit, because I realized that he won't be The Boy for much longer. In between "Yes Sirs", he occasionally glanced in my direction. I was proud of myself for not embarrassing by giving him thumbs up or something. I just smiled and nodded. At that point The Husband walked in, and Little One demanded that we leave. On the way home, it occurred to me how fast he is growing up. I am so thankful that he is still The Boy...Is it too much to hope that he will always be "My Boy"?

When he got home that night, he ran in and said "Mom, what did ya think?". I showered him with praise, and he smiled his handsome, goofy Boy grin and said "I'm hungry"....so much for magic moments...

I had similar moments at Little One's shows last weekend. As I sat by the lovely Big Sis watching Little One dance and sing, I realized that in a blink of an eye, she would be the Big Sis. Time truly flies...But after the show, my melancholy was replaced by the reality that Little One still has a few "Little Girl" years to go....after all, she couldn't wait to wash off the makeup, take down the hair...and ride that bike....

So that's it for today. Little One is home sick...miserable cold and cough. As I tucked her back in bed this morning, I didn't even feel that normal stressed feeling, worrying about what she might miss. Instead, I had a fleeting thought of how it would not be my "pleasure" to wake her for many more years.....I have to remember that what seems like a chore now, will one day be a wonderful memory...

Until tomorrow, when I will try my best to pull myself out of this melancholy reminiscing...and keep my "Aha" moments to myself....