It all started on Halloween. We had a costume all picked out. He was going as Clark Kent. I bought him a four piece suit for $12, a pair of play glasses for $1 and called it a day. He would simply wear everything but the vest over his superman shirt. I would slick his hair down and that would be it. It was a great costume and we gave it a dry run for Boo at the Zoo the week before Halloween.
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| Adorable, right? |
As actual Halloween approached, I got VERY excited about the upcoming Holiday Season. Mainly because this is the first year my little man is starting to get the concept of the Holidays. We talked about Halloween a lot. He was excited about the prospect of getting candy and wearing a costume. He loves playing pretend these days and seriously, who doesn't like candy? So when the evening before Halloween came and I reminded him that tomorrow was the big day, imagine my immediate panic when he said "I don't want to be Clark Kent anymore. I was already Clark Kent." (sigh) What was I going to do? Run out the day before Halloween to a party/seasonal shop for a costume? I'm crazy, but I'm not THAT crazy. Frantically I searched Max's closet and then his dress up box. In which I was reminded that my sister had made him a black cape with "Max the Great" on the back and he also had a black top hat at the ready. So off momma went to spend an additional $1.46 for a wooden dowel to paint and this was the result:
Crisis Averted.
A few days later, I was in Target looking for a replacement dining room table. Something on the cheap as we are planning a move and I didn't want anything I would have to schlep up north with us. While I didn't find what I was looking for, I came across a sale on toddler beds. This had been a topic of conversation in the house for several weeks. We had one of those fancy schmancy 4-in-1 cribs where you simply buy a conversion kit once you want to "upgrade" it. Fausto and I both knew we were never going to get around to it so instead, I found myself picking up a big boy bed for my baby. Something I wasn't planning on for at least another month or so and therefore was not emotionally or mentally ready for. But there it was in my red cart. A box that undoubtedly had a 25 page step-by-step guide and an allen wrench was being hoisted into the trunk of my Civic. I let Max pick out a set of sheets (Mickey was his choice) and there it was. A whole next phase that I wasn't ready for that was happening with or without me like so many other aspects of raising a young man. Max clapped his hands and kept telling everyone "I have a big boy bed!" I muttered that it made me a little sad and he said "You can be brave momma."
A few days later, Max officially turned 2 1/2. First the costume switch, then a big boy bed and then an official half birthday. It was too much growing up in such a short period of time. Seriously where do the days and years go. Didn't I JUST have him? Wasn't I just in that recovery room arguing with a nurse who insisted I "get some rest" before they brought my son in to me? Wasn't it just a week ago that I was singing him "Sweet Caroline" in a dark hospital room at 4 AM when the rest of the world seemed to stop and it was just he and I?
But no. That was 2 1/2 years ago.
And then there was today.
I swear it started off like any other day. Max woke up. Fausto woke up and told me to go catch some extra sleep before he left for the day. They would do "guy stuff." Fausto woke me up as usual on his way out the door assisted by Max's "Momma! I miss you! Wake up!" I peeled myself off the bed, kissed the husband and asked my baby what he wanted to eat. I poured the cereal, turned on Tinkerbell (AGAIN) and Max and I were left to our own devices.
And then it happened.
Max darted off to his bathroom where I heard him flushing his Elmo potty. "Baby. That is not a toy. You can flush that when you decide to go potty on it." Elmo potty made it's way to the living room and Max said "I'm going to try now" as he pulled and wretched his way out of his dinosaur pajamas and diaper. And right there in my living room with all of his stuffed animals and Tinkerbell, Max decided that he uses the potty now. Just like that. And I was completely unprepared. Thank GOD for leftover Halloween candy to use as rewards, speakerphone, and an awesome group of friends family that makes a huge deal out of these milestones as everyone got called and told our latest news. Daddy came home from work and Max said "I potty now. Then I eat lollipops." And there it was.
As if it was something he woke up and said to himself "Well. Today is the day." As if he had this on his mental calendar for months and failed to tell me. So yes, there was a rush to Target to get the cutest little underpants you ever did see and a bag of M&Ms which are a far more realistic reward. And then there is the little part of my heart that aches for the baby that is completely dependent on me for feeding and clothing and diapering.
And like holding his bottle on his own or taking his first steps or sleeping in a toddler bed, Max is doing the guiding. And it is all happening really fast for his mommy who wants to hold on just a little while longer while knowing that you have to let that baby grow into those big dreams that they dream. You have to let that baby fall and skin their knees. You have to let that baby have friends and share secrets with someone other than you. You have to let that baby HAVE secrets. You have to let that baby decide they want "privacy" and "I can read myself, mommy" moments. Then you blink and that baby is a full on little boy. And I hear that little boy voice that reverberates in my head "you can be brave, momma." Yes baby, I can be. You have to guide me though.
Until Soon,
Kate
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