My inspiration for this record of my days:

“The biggest mistake I made [as a parent] is the one that most of us make. . . . I did not live in the moment enough. This is particularly clear now that the moment is gone, captured only in photographs. There is one picture of [my three children] sitting in the grass on a quilt in the shadow of the swing set on a summer day, ages six, four, and one. And I wish I could remember what we ate, and what we talked about, and how they sounded, and how they looked when they slept that night. I wish I had not been in such a hurry to get on to the next thing: dinner, bath, book, bed. I wish I had treasured the doing a little more and the getting it done a little less” -Anna Quindlen

Tuesday, January 26, 2010

Caleb

How can one little boy be so exasperating and so charming at the same time?

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When Caleb was born, I fell head-over-heels in love with him.  Which was a relief, because I had wondered if I could possibly love a baby boy as much as I loved my baby girls.  Yep.

From day one he has been all BOY- through and through.  He wanted to wear a tie like his dad before he turned 2.  He tried to sing in a manly voice like his dad.  He was a natural at anything athletic.  And he never stopped moving.

He is still full  overflowing with energy!  Everything he chooses to do, he does with 100 percent of his body- mind, muscle and heart.

The problem is… we rarely agree on what is worth his attention.  He fights me on bathing and brushing his teeth.  He fights me on chores and homework.  He fights me about getting up in the morning and going to bed at night.  He pushes and pushes until I think I may lose my mind.

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He can’t figure out why I care if he throws rocks into the road when cars are coming.  Or what the big deal is about getting sent to the principal’s office.  He really doesn’t get why he got in trouble for playing so rough that he made the 5 year old neighbor kid cry.

I worry that he’s going to be a person that has to learn life lessons the hard way.

And yet… even as I type this post, he wants to talk about this really cool treasure hunt he is dreaming up.  And last night he spent an hour trying to memorize Dragon Hieroglyphics from his new Dragonology book.  He asked if I thought he was the only one in the world that could read their language.  I wanted to squeeze him and kiss him, but instead I told him he was probably the only human who could.

He is smart and funny and handsome and independent.  He has great ideas and is a hard worker.

I ask again… How can one little boy be so exasperating and so charming at the same time?

I guess maybe that is what being a parent is about.  It is frustrating and rewarding, exciting and mundane, painful and peaceful.   I guess maybe we have to taste the bitter so that we know to prize the good.  Maybe that is what being a person is all about.

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1 comment:

  1. LeahJanuary 27, 2010 at 12:54 PM

    Cutie Caleb
    I am glad you are his parents. I love reading your words and how eloquent you are. He will turn out to be an awesome young man because of you guys!

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