Where, Oh Where Did My Baby Boy Go?

We sat in front of a sweet little blond-headed, blue-eyed boy in church today. That darling child took me back in time. He looked so much like my sweet oldest boy when he was a baby. I'd say this little guy was about 18 months or so. And he was sweetness wrapped up in a package of boy skin. I remembered back to when my boy was so little -- his fine, white hair that stuck up on top of his head, (so much so that the nurses who cared for him at the hospital called him "the dandelion baby"), his chunky little body that filled out all his clothes contrasted by his short legs that barely peeked out from his shorts, his Fred-Flinstone-esque feet, and his blue, blue eyes.

Then, I peeked over at my now five year old boy (soon to be six, he would be quick to tell you). I pointed out the little toddler behind us and told him that's a bit what he looked like as a baby. He smiled so sweetly. His smile can, pardon the overused phrase, melt a mama's heart. It's just so...smiley. He enjoys hearing about what he was like as a baby. But lately, I've been noticing more grown up things about him. Things like an increased ability to deal with difficulty, a desire to help and protect his sisters, and a voracious desire to learn anything (right now it happens to be chess).

Speaking of protecting and looking out for his sisters, today at lunch his sister mentioned to me that after the children were dismissed to rejoin their parents after being at the front of the church, that he held her hand and helped her get back the seats safely. I was so proud of him because lately every time that this particular sister touches him to kiss him or hug him (which she loves to do --she's a physical touch girl), he throws the biggest fit. And sometimes, just sometimes, he can be a little, shall we say...self-centered...being the oldest and all. So, the fact that he voluntarily looked out for his sister, grabbed her little hand and protected her and guided her all the way to the back of the church to where we were waiting for her --well, that's just huge in my book. I guess we get little glimpses sometimes as mommies. Little glimpses that God uses to show us that they ARE listening sometimes, that they DO really care about each other. That they will be able to function in the world as caring human beings without our constant prodding and reminding.

I guess that chubby, tow-headed little toddler I reminisced over in church today is growing up. And I'm so proud of the young boy he's becoming.

"You don't raise heroes. You raise sons. And if you treat them like sons, they'll turn out to be heroes." -Author Unknown