One week from today, I will be the mother of a high school graduate. I asked my soon to be graduate if he was excited about it. He said that it hadn't really hit him, yet. Then he went into his room to do something (not long enough to clean it) and I had me a little silent come apart. A quick one, but tears were shed. We've discussed my natural giftedness for blubbering at great length. For those who might not know me quite as well as others, I can sum it up quite easily with a GREAT line from Steel Magnolias.
Just for fun, I thought I'd find some of my favorite pictures of the lad and wax maternal about them. And...I'll probably cry...but that's okay.
Here he is...in all of his missing front teeth-rugby shirts are the best-kindergarten glory! I love this picture because he looks like a little British boy. I can't explain WHY I think that...I just do. And yes...it is a tad early to be front-toothless. This is what happens when a boy doesn't just suck his thumb...but rocks that thumb against the backs of those front teeth. He kept the roots in a constant state of motion. I realized they were loose on September 11, 2001. The rest of the world was watching the event in NYC, DC and Pennsylvania and I was clueless until sitting in the dentist's waiting room. By Halloween, just a scant six weeks later, we had a toothless boyo. He was awfully cute...as snagglepusses go.
He had an amazing imagination at this age. He played like he was "Moses." Watching Prince of Egypt was a favorite way to pass the time. Other times he might be a dinosaur. Sometimes he was "Pongo" from 101 Dalmations. Frequently, he would play at being Peter Pan or "Westley/The Man in Black" from The Princess Bride. He and Mr. Snark would run the lines from the rhyming scenes between "Fezzik" and "Inigo." (I was terribly proud of him when he chose "Inigo" as his name for Spanish class. Parenting score!) Of course, there was "Spider Man" and "Larry Boy." And "Bible Man." He and Hester the Great had a great little game that they played, when she would come to visit. The carpet in his room was blue. They would sit on his bed and pretend that they were sailing on the Carpet Sea. The adventures they had! We eventually put bunk beds in the room and there were "mountain climbing" adventures with Little Y2 and Mr. Snark. He loved to build tents and forts with dining room chairs and every blanket he could haul into the living room.
He'd eat just about anything we gave him. Except for cantaloupe. When he was two...maybe pushing three...we went to some steak buffet place with Mr. Snark's maternal extended family. We fed him from the salad bar. There were yummy pieces of cantaloupe and I thought he might like to try them. Poor kid, he thought they were big hunks of cheddar cheese. He was all about some cheese...still is. He gobbled up a piece and the look on his face when he realized it was NOT cheese. And those were his exact words: "Not cheese! That not cheese." Won't touch the stuff to this day. But he's lately come 'round to sushi, so it all works out.
He loved to read, at this age. It was much easier finding books for little boys at five, six and seven. I remember the little kindergarten readiness test. I was a bit nervous. We read to him all the time and there were all sorts of books in his room. He had done well with all that was given to him in Pre-K, but it was still sort of a shock when Mrs. A brought him back to me and said, "He read all 100 words...without missing a beat. Go get him a library card." So we did. Once he hit those middle school years, finding books got to be more of a chore. It's still a little bit of a challenge, but when he gets a good one, he devours it.
His favorite color was blue and elephants were his favorite animal. None of y'all over B'ham way need to read any more into that than what is there. He was able to sing a couple of verses of "Rocky Top" without any help from us, so his loyalties had already been chosen. His best little friend was a tiny, little blonde girl....who will also graduate next week. His best big friend was his Peepaw.
Well, I got to the end of this without crying. As I intend to post other favorite pictures, as the week progresses, the bragging may be a bit hasty.
"Oh, sweetheart, don't. Please don't cry or I will, too. I have a strict policy that nobody cries alone in my presence." Truvy Jones (Dolly Parton)So, it really doesn't take much. Surprisingly, it's been a week or two since the last one, so I'll allow myself a little latitude. But, enough about crying!
Just for fun, I thought I'd find some of my favorite pictures of the lad and wax maternal about them. And...I'll probably cry...but that's okay.
He had an amazing imagination at this age. He played like he was "Moses." Watching Prince of Egypt was a favorite way to pass the time. Other times he might be a dinosaur. Sometimes he was "Pongo" from 101 Dalmations. Frequently, he would play at being Peter Pan or "Westley/The Man in Black" from The Princess Bride. He and Mr. Snark would run the lines from the rhyming scenes between "Fezzik" and "Inigo." (I was terribly proud of him when he chose "Inigo" as his name for Spanish class. Parenting score!) Of course, there was "Spider Man" and "Larry Boy." And "Bible Man." He and Hester the Great had a great little game that they played, when she would come to visit. The carpet in his room was blue. They would sit on his bed and pretend that they were sailing on the Carpet Sea. The adventures they had! We eventually put bunk beds in the room and there were "mountain climbing" adventures with Little Y2 and Mr. Snark. He loved to build tents and forts with dining room chairs and every blanket he could haul into the living room.
He'd eat just about anything we gave him. Except for cantaloupe. When he was two...maybe pushing three...we went to some steak buffet place with Mr. Snark's maternal extended family. We fed him from the salad bar. There were yummy pieces of cantaloupe and I thought he might like to try them. Poor kid, he thought they were big hunks of cheddar cheese. He was all about some cheese...still is. He gobbled up a piece and the look on his face when he realized it was NOT cheese. And those were his exact words: "Not cheese! That not cheese." Won't touch the stuff to this day. But he's lately come 'round to sushi, so it all works out.
He loved to read, at this age. It was much easier finding books for little boys at five, six and seven. I remember the little kindergarten readiness test. I was a bit nervous. We read to him all the time and there were all sorts of books in his room. He had done well with all that was given to him in Pre-K, but it was still sort of a shock when Mrs. A brought him back to me and said, "He read all 100 words...without missing a beat. Go get him a library card." So we did. Once he hit those middle school years, finding books got to be more of a chore. It's still a little bit of a challenge, but when he gets a good one, he devours it.
His favorite color was blue and elephants were his favorite animal. None of y'all over B'ham way need to read any more into that than what is there. He was able to sing a couple of verses of "Rocky Top" without any help from us, so his loyalties had already been chosen. His best little friend was a tiny, little blonde girl....who will also graduate next week. His best big friend was his Peepaw.
Well, I got to the end of this without crying. As I intend to post other favorite pictures, as the week progresses, the bragging may be a bit hasty.
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