I nuzzle your newborn cheek,
Isaac turned 12 this week and there just seems to be something about 12. Maybe it's just me. It's the last birthday before he becomes an official teenager. I've seen lots of changes in the past year. His interest in more childish pursuits has waned as sports and hunting have become bigger parts of his life. This week he also passed his hunter safety course and got his hunting license. He is looking forward to having a chance to go out with Dad this fall after watching Dad and Diana go hunting without him for the past few years.
Sometimes it is hard to be the youngest in the family and watch everyone else reach milestones before you. Having a couple of older sisters with strong personalities doesn't always help either. He really savors when he finally reaches something he's been waiting for. Just because his sisters have already attained the various skills or rights doesn't make his achievement less noteworthy and I remind them to celebrate with him rather than make light of a stage they may have passed already.
This boy of mine. He makes me laugh every single day. He's had a sense of humor since he could speak. His imagination has always been very vivid, whether it has come out in drawings, stories, or spending hours in the backyard single-handedly fending off invading armies. He has a keen and inquisitive mind that leads him to investigate everything from dinosaurs, to insects, to baseball and football stats, to ancient Mayans.
He is 100% boy but he has a tender side that makes me swell with pride. When I see him being gentle with a baby cousin or spending time playing with his best friend's little sisters who absolutely adore him I can't help but imagine him as a loving daddy some day. When the two of us were in the tree house and I fell and demolished my left arm he was my hero. The little boy who used to cry at the sight of a pinprick of blood grew up suddenly. He kept his wits about him, kept me safe and got help for me. In the months after surgery he was the one who was most inclined to offer me help without me asking for it. He was the one who most wanted to make sure I was comfortable.
He's 12 now and his cheek doesn't scratch me yet but his personality can be abrasive at times like it never has been before. The happy-go-lucky kid now gets kind of growly periodically. The cuddly boy bristles at public displays of affection. I'm not particularly thrilled by that but I know it's how it is for now. I trust by the time his whiskers come in thickly he will have evened out again.
This week, I'm counting my boy. He's been a blessing.
43 comments:
Beautiful poem. Beautiful picture. Beautiful post. Now I am bawling and holding onto my ovaries...lol.
Lime, have I told you how your counts always put a glow in me? Well they do... especially when you beam over the ones you love. Cheers on a wonderful count.
Lovely count~ oh sons, what a delight to moms :)
what a beautiful picture Lime & what lovely words of affection!
I love this post!
& yes that is exactly all what i thought, but once their cheek turns rough they turn it away from mama!
lime, what a beautiful post about your children, especially your son.
I love the line "inhaling your innocence."
tc
mizmouthy, thanks for the kind words. your phrase 'holding my ovaries' cracked me up. (hope that's ok)
lecram, thank you for encouraging this sort of thing in the blogosphere. i've always appreciated your positive perspective.
kfarmer, you are one who knows ;)
mona, thank you. maybe it is weird but those were my thoughts the firsttime i held him, a fast forward to the future.
top cat, thank you very much, friend.
Your poem is priceless. I too have a youngest child who is my son, and he has two older sisters who caused him to grow sensitive to others' cause and effects. You've described the process of emergence from innocence to pre-manhood perfectly - your baby pic and words brought me back to that time. Today he is a band director in Tahoe, and has his own frustrations (students, LOL) to deal with... but your touching words (like Mary to her son) of "your cheek will scratch mine" is genius. Lovely post.
LOL @ mizmouthy...
Damn it, dont make me cry at 7:15 am!
What a lovely boy you have, Lime
A touching 55, Lime. I feel that my daughter was my blessing from God, sounds like you were blessed, too.
Awesome as always! I have been building up my reasons that I don't want children and then you pull something like this that throws a wrecking ball right through my reasons.
Thanks for sharing!
My oldest just turned 13. Where did the years go?
Wonderful post, Lime, as usual. Your love for the limelets just radiates from the webpage. No matter what, he'll always be your son and you his mom.
tsduff, generous praise, thank you. thanks also for the encouragement from a number of years in my future. i so appreciate the moms who have been through it already.
s, here, have a tie-dyed hanky
charles, i am blessed and glad to know you are as well
ameratis, i have never been one to tell others marriage and family has to be their goal. make the choice that is healthy for you. but if i can present a side youhaven't considered, well that's good too.
shari, where have the years gone indeed?
rebicmel, thanks. it really was just yesterday that first picture was taken, honest!
Oh it is such a joy to read your post, Lime.
Mine is only five, and his cheek is wonderfully soft, but I wonder just like you how quickly the years go.
Aw man, you're making me choke up here. He actually sounds a little like my boy. I hope mine grows up to be my hero too.
Wow. That's really good writing. Is the poem thing at the beginning original?
True "youngest child syndrome" story here. Oldest troll sibling had photos taken of virtually every "milestone" event. Including mundane things like riding a bike without training wheels. That photo-taking decreased with each ensuing child. As for baby troll (me)....
The only pictures that survive are a TEAM football picture and a Troll Lad with his BACK TO THE CAMERA painting the garage. Not sure if it's really me or not but I'm claiming it!
Grrrherahhahahahhahahahaha.
I think it's funny, not sad. But take (AND KEEP) some milestone photos of your boy!
cosima, you are approaching one of my favorite times. i think a boy from about age 6-9 is a thing of near perfection. they are happy and a little more independent, the world is full of wonder, and it's still ok to hug mama in public.
diesel, i'm sure yours will be a fine young man
artful, thank youfor the kind words. yes, unless otherwise noted, everything i post is my own writing. my husband is the youngest and when i realized his mother had almost no pictures of his childhood i vowed never to make that mistake. i've been very careful to document his life photographically just as i did for his sisters. thanks so much for the visit. :)
Isaac sounds like a real credit to you and you are justifiably proud of him. A lovely post Lime.
Actually you should both count your blessing - your both lucky to have each other:-)
Wishing you and your family a wonderful end to your week!
I can't bawl because I'm at work, but there's definitelly a lump. Makes me think about my boy when he grows...sigh! They have to grow don't they?
Happy (belated) Birthday Issac.
pauline, thanks for such kind words about both my boy and the post
renny, i certainly hope i am a blessing to him. have a great weekend yourself.
hypersonic, they do have to grow but there is such fun in the process. big hugs, i know you are missing your boy terribly right now.
That was an extremely touching post. Almost enough to get a grouchy old conservative misty-eyed.
Did I say "almost"?
Must be the "family values" thing.
Happy birthday to the young man!Wonderful 55 and a great tribute to mothers and sons!
I love it, very nice and touching 55 and great counting the blessings. Things will change for a little while but he will be back. The teen years are so much fun. Luckily (or unluckily) I have never experienced that myself. Glad to see how proud you are of your kids.
Before I even got to the part about the gory details of the broken wrist and arm, I saw the picture of this young man about to hurl a hardball and I said, "Hmmmm. That must be the kid she was telling me all about over the phone two days ago." Turns out that's the boy, all right.
This made me think back to when I was 12. And yes, there is something about 12. I remember it so very well. And I remember some grown-up asking me if I was ready to "be a teenager" on my next birthday. I didn't like that question. At all. I wanted to stay 12 for the rest of my life.
So I am.
aw, that posts warms my heart!
paul, i'll take that 'almost.' thanks
mike, thanks very much:)
barman, i appreciate the words of encouragement
gawpo, ah yes, if we could keep the best parts of 12 and let the rest slide away...kind of like your post today too.
m, glad to hear it :)
Aw, what a great tribute to your son...my guy turned 12 in June and it sounds like they are the same child! Lucky us. Thanks for sharing you and yours...I really enjoy your writing and your family and YOU!
That was so beautiful and touching Lime...
You make big bad burley biker dudes sniffle a bit.
Awesome post!!
Have a great week-end!!
xoxox
great post. nice pic of Isaac too. What an arm!
Print this post and slip it to your boy in about ten years. He'll be startled to know how much he means to you, I'll bet--and flattered to find out how very much you've thought of him.
Nice 55...
My mom kinda was sad when I turned 12...For some reason she felt like as soon as I turned 13, I'd be off in my own world.
It's cool how close you and your son are....I just hopes he appriciates it.
I'm crying here too. You are so good a putting your emotions into words.
Have a great weekend. *sniff*
He has a keen and inquisitive mind that leads him to investigate everything from dinosaurs, to insects, to baseball and football stats, to ancient Mayans.
Sounds like he's going to be a very interesting adult.
And 12 can be abrasive, but the weird thing is Junior when he hit 13 became more polite than before. It's weird.
And awesome he was a great kid when you needed him the most (the tree incident). :)
cindra, i reallyenjoy yours as well and your latest news is just especialy exciting to me. thanks:-*
g-man, big bad burly biker dude sniffling...is that a future HNT? hehehe. thank you, glad it hit the heart.
savant, thank youvery much, he LOVES baseball
jocelyn, i've actually been writing to the kids since they were born and have a stack of letters for each of them when they are all older. yes, i think this one might go in that batch too. thanks. :)
flash, i think it also hits me a little more since he is my youngest and all the 'young child' days seem past.
signgurl, g-man wil lpass the hankie your way. thank you. have a great weekend yourself.
zombie, i'm encouraged to hear junior grew out of it quickly. i remember student teaching 12 yr olds and then working with incarcerated teens.....the jailbirds were actually easier.....
Lime,
What a beautiful way you've chosen to honor your son. He is such a wonderful little gentleman!!
--snow
They grow up far too quickly, and leave bits of their personality behind... but the odd display of affection allows most of it to be forgiven :)
Baby Duck, This post goes down at the top of my list for best post of the week. I loved it and I'm glad you have such a good relationship with the boy. You make me tear up. Love ya doll.
TG
snow, thank you. yes, i'm lucky, most days he is.
boysenberry, the odd display of afection makes my whole day
tommy, aww, thanks for such kind words. i'm really thankful for my guy. he's a good kid.
Sweet. Treasure it all. Nothing stays the same.
Our children are our treasure, no doubt about it.
That is a fantastic pic too.
tlp, thank you. i am doing my best to savor it.
cathey, they sure are. thanks.
Wow. That's weird to know.
You know what's funny, speaking of jailbirds. One of my professors used to volunteer to teach college courses in prison. The prisoners who took the classes were actually very good students, because anything is better than being in there and it was a chance for some of these folks to better themselves, so they took full advantage of it.
He said a lot of them had remedial writing abilities, and some of the essays were atrocious, but he was so happy to see how much effort they put into their work. He was a sociology professor by the way.
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