ANTHONY TURNS 4

To my Anthony Thomas:

Last night, as we sat at the table coloring I asked you how old you were going to be tomorrow. To which you responded:

"I will be 'fow' Momma. And then comes five, and then comes one, then two, then 'free'..."

"Well, what if I don't want you to be four? What if I want you to still be three?"

"I have to grow Momma."

"But you are growing up too fast!"

After this comment, you gave a big sigh, looked up at me quite seriously and said:

"I want to grow."

"Why?"

"Because then I can be a Momma and a teacha. [teacher]"

You promptly went back to coloring your picture, which told me you were done with our little talk.

I sat giggling a bit, thinking of how sweet our conversation was. How sweet it was to hear you give your reasons as to why you wanted to grow up. How sweet it was to hear you count and get a bit mixed up, and to hear you mispronounce the same words you always seem to mispronounce. All of it was just so sweet.

I thought of how little moments, little conversations like these, are a part of every one of my days with you. Something that I very much look forward to. I know that these moments will soon end, as before I know it you will be counting to 100 without a second thought, pronouncing all of your words correctly, writing your name, tying your shoes, and doing all those things that you are just now practicing and slowly beginning to master.

I guess this is all just a part of you growing up. A part that your Momma has such a hard time with. But I must get over it, as like you said - you want to grow up and you have to grow up so that you can be a Momma and a teacher.

As much as I wish you could stay 4 forever and ever - I do have to say that I am so happy that you are growing, learning new things every day and becoming such a wonderful, giving, sweet little boy. I so look forward to you now being 'fow', then five, then one, then two, then 'free'.....

Happy, happy birthday. Momma "loves you to the moon, the sun, the stars, and everything else" my Anthony Thomas.