so big, so fast

I’m feeling much better now than I was the last time I posted. As Andrew would say, everything is “all better.” I really needed a break, and now that I’ve had one, I’m feeling back to my normal self. It’s like I reach this point sometimes, when the stress has just built and built and built, and I feel like I’m going to explode if I have to deal with one more thing. I really need to work on this, because I know it won’t always be this easy to get a break. But this time, it was, and I’m grateful.

I spent most of the day yesterday at home with Andrew, after getting Another Call from daycare that he wasn’t feeling well. He was a little quieter than usual, and napped for longer than usual, but otherwise he seemed perfectly okay to me. I was glad for the extra day, though, with just him; it was nice to have conversations with him that didn’t revolve around, “Andrew, please share with your brother” and “Okay, maybe I should have been more specific; share your toys with your brother, not your grapes. He’s too little to eat those.”

Just the sheer fact that I can have conversations of any type with Andrew still blows my mind. I mean, when did he get big enough to actually talk to me? Over lunch yesterday, we had a lovely discussion about tractors and fire engines. Fire engines are big trucks and they are red and go “Wooo,” did you know? Because that’s what Andrew told me. He also told me he likes yellow tractors better than green ones, and that he would very much like to go to his great-grandparents’ house and play on their yellow tractor. Peese, Mommy? We go now?

And then there’s Will, who is growing up so quickly I’m feeling very wind-blown about the whole thing. Last night I was sitting on the couch, and he crawled over, pulled himself up, and cruised right over to me.

He cruised. My not-even-nine-month-old cruised. He pulls himself up to stand and he claps his hands and he crawls like a pro and he babbles “Dadadadadada” and “Babababababa” and says things like “brsk” and “dago” and cruises. Andrew did all of those things too, of course, but he did them over a span of months, and he didn’t start doing any of them until he was at least nine months old -- probably closer to ten. Will learned all of them in a matter of weeks. Andrew gave me time. Will has given me none. There’s no stopping him now. He’ll be walking by his first birthday, there’s not a doubt in my mind.

It’s a little bit sad, of course, to see how fast they’re growing up. I could curse time and bemoan how quickly it all passes by, but I’m choosing not to. Part of me wishes they’d always be this age, but the bigger part can’t stop applauding them and grinning goofily at all of the strides they’re making, each and every day. Missing who they were would be missing out on the amazing little men they’re becoming. I’m so proud to be their mom.

(And no, I didn’t do a single thing to Will’s hair in this picture. It’s just LIKE THAT. It’s so awesome.)