The Second Step

My son is the absolutely slowest person on the planet. He is never in any hurry what so ever. I know that it is partially because of his age, but man, it takes us forever to get anywhere! It’s a good thing I stay at home with him, because we would be late for EVERYTHING.

I have never seen my son more excited than on his 4th birthday. He was so proud and so happy. It was like he had arrived at something. He began telling me that he liked certain foods now that he was four. “I can do it all by myself, because I’m four.” “I couldn’t do that when I was three right? But now I can because I’m four.” “I was three for a really long time huh mom?”

 Turning four was monumental. We began talking about his very first birthday party and who was all there. He was thrilled to look back at the pictures to find the very same people at his 4th birthday party! And that is when it hit me. He…is…four…  I began looking at all of the four years worth of pictures. I looked at so many pictures of him as a baby, and those first few years. All I could think about was how hurried I have become. It seems like I say hurry up so many times in one day. “Let’s hurry and get your teeth brushed,” “hurry up Luke we have to get dressed for school”. “Hurry up and eat your dinner.” “Get in you car seat, and hurry up or we will be late.” Even on days that we don’t go anywhere I find myself telling my now little boy to hurry.

Looking back on those pictures made me realize that I don’t want to be in a hurry. I can’t even begin to tell you where three went and I certainly don’t want to forget four. So even though he is slow going, now I can take more pictures with my mind of all the details I don’t want to forget.