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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