March 12, 2013

End of the Little Days

Parenting is a hard job.

Nobody said that it wasn't, but there is nothing that can prepare you for the wave of emotions that you feel at any given moment.  Kids really do keep you on your toes as you just never know what they are going to hit with you with next.  Such was the case this morning.

My oldest Tyler had the ability to grow up slowly.  He liked all the usual little kid things: Cars, Toy Story, Nemo, Mickey Mouse, and of course Legos.  There was a natural progression that I am sure most first kids go through, although he was into Star Wars before most of his friends.  He has grown out most of these things, but still loves to play with Legos.  He has an iPod now and spends a lot of his time texting and Facetiming.  Basically he is growing up into BIG kid.

Which brings me to Carter.

He doesn't wear them on his head all the time
As the younger of the two he has spent most of his childhood trying to keep up with his older brother.  That means what ever Tyler was into, Carter was as well.  Before Carter could even say any letters or numbers he could tell you who every Star Wars character was.  He never really got into shows like Mickey Mouse Clubhouse or the Doodlebops; it's almost as if he skipped a few years and graduated right to shows like Phineas and Ferb and The Clone Wars.  While little, I almost feel like he's never been a little kid.

Currently Carter is obsessed with sports, and as a dad while that is great, part of me wishes it didn't happen so early.  He'll be six next month, but sometimes I feel like he is going on 16.  He no longer plays with toys and loves watching sports on TV.  Legos are out; basketball, football, and soccer are his thing now.  He just told me the other day that he doesn't like Mickey Mouse and his character shirts were too small on him (even though they aren't.)

But I always had something to hold onto, until today.

This was one of those moments that kicks you in the gut and tells you that your kids are growing up despite your best efforts to not let them.  Out of the blue Carter decided that he didn't want to wear his little boy underwear anymore.  I was blindsided to say the least.  For the past three years while I could see him getting bigger and moving onto to older kid things, I could always count on one thing, his little Toy Story underwear.  It's almost like they were the only thing that was holding him back from being a big kid.  While he got bigger and bigger I could put those little tiny underwear on him and keep him the little kid that he should be.

Sadly that will no longer be the case.  My little guy is growing up and there is nothing I can do to stop it.  

John Willey - Daddy's in Charge?

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17 comments:

  1. My daughter is 7. Last night I had a flash of what 14 would be. She can be very scary at times, the way she is growing up and is more mature in so many ways than her brothers. I would have sworn she was 14. Then a couple of hours later saying goodnight, she was 4.

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  2. I'm sure he will do something to remind of how little he actually is tonight. Probably yell for me in the middle of the night or something.

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  3. What's funny is that dads think this through and have a catharsis. Moms hit this point and think "hmmm...what if we had another baby?" I mean, results may vary, but I've known a handful of families like this.

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  4. I'm one of the results may vary kind. As soon as Youngest was out of diapers I was all set. :)

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  5. I'm actually torn. I didn't mind the diaper done stage, because let's admit butts in underwear are freaking cute.

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  6. Can't say it's just moms, but it can't be done without mom.

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  7. Thing is they all grow up WAY too fast weather they are the first or the last. Best thing to do is look at each year as it's own milestone. Youngest is in his last year of elementary school... after that, no more "new math" and weird grading system I don't understand. They can both get off the bus on their own at the youth center (unsupervised!) for early release days and pretty soon... no more day care bills. :) Sure there's stuff I miss, but there's so much more going on right now, I wouldn't trade it for anything.

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  8. So sweet, John. My boy turned 6 in November and every day I notice something about him that seems more and more grown-up and it scares the hell outta me. He is my only biological child, and I can't fathom the idea of him growing up and leaving me behind.
    At least as a father, you stand a better chance at being included in your boys' teenage and young adult lives. I'm a mom, and I know that teenage boys do not want anything to do with their mommies.
    All we can do is love them up as much as we can while they're small, and hope for the best when they're grown.
    Sorry to hear that your little man has outgrown his little boy undies. I'm not looking forward to that day with my boy.
    Love and light, John.

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  9. Great post with great perspective. I'm seeing this now with my youngest. For example, I looked forward to the return of Dinosaur Train and Super Why (favorites from boy #1), but he skipped right past such things. He currently knows the name of EVERY SINGLE Cars and Cars 2 character and definitely piggy backs on his older brother's shows instead of the ones he "should" be into.


    I feel for you, John. My oldest isn't as old as your youngest, and the Batman underwear is still alive and well. For now...

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  10. Every age has been great so far... it's just tough to get past sometimes

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  11. Don't look at it that way. Boys love their moms.

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  12. I would want more kids but I fear they would skip everything and go right to college.

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  13. Oh, I hope there never comes a day when my daughter is too old to wear underwear on her head. I mean, I never stopped, and I'm an adult, right? Right?


    Mine just turned three, and she's using a lot of "I'm a big kid" talk now, and we've just gotten over the hump of potty training. But almost every day I look at her and it just kind of blows my mind that she used to be a baby, just *this big*. Frick. She used to fit in my wife's tummy. Where does the time go?

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  14. A lot of people and doctors believe that growing pains are a myth.


    They are, as you have found, very real, very painful, and always felt by caregivers.

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  15. I don't realize it until I take a step back. Then it smacks me in the face how big they are getting.

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  16. What do doctors know?

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  17. Crazed in the KitchenMarch 17, 2013 at 12:15 AM

    My oldest starts kindergarten in about six months and it's killing me. Already.

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