On the eve of Summer 2012

School gets out tomorrow, and as someone who holds summer sacred, I am ecstatic.  Mr. Boy will finish third grade tomorrow, and enter the fourth grade in the fall.

There has been a lot of talk in our house about his upcoming birthday.  He has wanted an army man party for a few months, but has suddenly changed his mind.  Mr. Boy plays Army Man quite often on the hillside and when we saw these army helmets today I just had to get some for him and AK, in hopes to sway him back to an army themed party.

Tonight as I was putting things away in the kitchen, Mr. Boy was feeling chatty and sat at the island talking about all sorts of things.  Legos, Navy Seals, Big Foot, Army Men, and upcoming activities.  He was full of questions as always... and I stopped and looked at him sitting there in his army helmet, fiddling with Legos, and I just wanted to yell out, "Time! Time Out!  Stop the clock!" while gesturing frantically to the referee.  Not because I need a break, because I just want to pause this moment forever.  How did this boy get to be almost nine years old?   Where did the time go?   How do we slow this aging train down? 

 

Soon those delicious cheeks will melt away, and he won't be caught dead pretending to be an army man.  I'll become so uncool that I'll be "soooooooooo embarrassing" and this boy won't be caught be dead talking to me. 

 

Today, I am grateful that school will be out, so that I won't have to share these kids with their teachers who have them for most of the day.   I will buy my own army helmet and play on the hillside pretending to blow things up and shoot down the enemy planes. I'm ready for goofy face contests, swimming, and stories around the fire pit.  There is no pause button in life, but at least summer allows for you to slow it down a little.