“Sweetheart, it’s too heavy, let mommy lift it.”
“No, Mommy. I. Do. It”
The milk bounces against small muscular legs but is eventually hoisted onto the table.
***********************************************************
“Come on, we need to get in the house”.
“Mommy, I put the code in?”
“Sweetheart, we’re running late, let mommy poke the numbers”.
“No, Mommy. I. do. It.”
And tiny hands remember the four numbers and the star key, a face raised in triumph and pride as the door swings open
**********************************************************
“It’s dinner time, please come in and sit down. Here are your forks.”
“Mommy, I wanted to pick my own fork”
“Sweetheart, this fork is just as good as any old fork. “
“But I wanted to PICK MY OWN FORK Mommy. I’ll. Do. It”
And standing on tippy toes little hands reach in among the plastic utensils to choose a fork that looks like that one sitting next to their plate already.
“This one”, they say.
*************************************************************************
Every day I watch you grow and stretch, I sit in awe as you learn your way around this world and push yourselves to new places.
Your first years were full of me doing everything for you both, of stretching beyond myself to provide you with the things you would need to be where you are today.
But as any mom will tell you, your independence is full of bittersweet moments. Watching you close a button or turn a movie on adept at the remote, brush your own teeth or pour your own cereal is an exercise in humility and letting go far too soon.
For every step you take toward freedom and self sufficiency, my heart folds upon itself in wanting to keep you here, keep you small, and keep you under lock and key.
So that one day, before I know it or can predict it’s arrival
“me do it”
“I do it, Mommy”
I’ll do it myself Mom”
Evolves into
“Let me do that for you Mom”
and the world I know will shift once again.
Lovely and so true. I love the end – everything shifts again at that next stage. But you've got a lot of years til then!
This is so true!
So bittersweet, isn't it? I love the end, how you showed that everything will shift once again. Lucky for us moms though that's a long time from now!Also? I need to get my tooshy active in the Studio 30+ site. I joined, and I'll admit, it took a lot for me to admit I'm 30 and not in my 20's anymore
Every stage of independence is a new adventure. Luckily, the don't all happen at once, so you have time to prepare for what might be in store
Bittersweet I'm sure, but awesome just the same.
i really really liked reading this. came over here from your comment on my studio 30+ post today. lovely to meet you.
Oh so true, Kir! I love how you describe wanting to keep them small under lock and key. Sigh. They grow far too quickly for our hearts to catch up.
I LOVE this! I remember when Paige was like that. Now she is too lazy and wants everyone to do everything for her! LOL!This totally made me tear up and miss those days. They grow up way too fast.
Such a great post. I can relate. My three-year-old guy is so independent right now. It's so fun to see, but I have a hard time letting him have control.
Definitely made me sit back and think of all the independent first steps from my kids. They want so badly to do for themselves, and you have to let them.I hope that I never get to the point where they have to trade places with me…
Aww. So sweet! I think my son is backwards or something. He's 8 and tonight he was sitting next to me and said, "Mom? Would you get me that glass of water?" The one that was RIGHT IN FRONT OF HIM. I swear, he's trying to see how far he can push me before I lose it.
I can so relate! Very bittersweet, isn't it?
Let me do that for you, Mom is my favorite so far! I'm scared of what comes next though.
JDaniel has been teaching me today that there is a right cup and wrong cup. I really didn't think it mattered.
Yes. "letting go far too soon." FAR too soon. Doesn't matter when it is it is ALWAYS far too soon. Sigh…