Signs That Your Little Boy is Growing Up

- He eats more than most teenagers
- He's outgrown half a drawerful of pants in less than a school year
- A classmate thinks he's "hot"
- He notices characters who "want to marry each other" in books--and giggles and rolls his eyes at any interaction they have, no matter how innocent (even the female and male villain are flirting while they scheme about capturing the superhero, apparently)
- He can make his own breakfast, unlock the front door, and start the car
- He talks about his future career and life:

          Reed: When I'm a sherith, I wonder if I'll have a star for a badge or that one other kinda shape like this (outlines shield)
          Mom: I don't know...I think Texas sheriffs still have stars. Maybe you could move to Texas.
          Reed: But then I'll never see you!
          Mom: Well, we'll visit each other all the time. Especially if you have lotsa grandbabies for me!
          Reed: But I'll be busy chasing robbers and solving problems and looking for clues all day. I won't have time to visit you!

We went on a walk yesterday (70 degrees in February?! Hello!!!) We had just tootled up and over the big hill by our house when he announced he had to go to the bathroom--the #2 variety. Being the little bear that he is NOT, he refused to go in the woods. "I wanna go back home," he insisted, so I turned the stroller around. He took off up the hill and shouted, "I'll meet you there in a little bit!" I knew better than to stop a man on a mission, but I also had three major barriers to keeping up with him: a certain stubborn pokey puppy named Calvin trailing behind and two fat butts (Max's weighing down the stroller and mine trying to huff it up the hill). So we sort of just inched along from behind, keeping an eye on my little sprinter as he got smaller and smaller. He stuck to the safe side of the road, then switched to the left side when he crested the hill, just like I taught him. Then he disappeared out of sight without ever looking back. Quite the metaphor, huh? Gotta admit, I had a little moment right there -- and not entirely because of my out-of-shapeness.