I You

Each day I am realizing how quickly I am becoming more and more like my parents.  It is scary actually.  As a parent I am finding this constant struggle between being excited to watch Nolin learn and grow up, yet already dreading the day that he no longer needs us for everything and gets excited to let us know it.

Nolin is growing up so quickly, and I think with each new milestone you start to get worried that the next stage will not be as exciting as the last. I mean eventually they will turn into teenagers, think they know it all, express their independence (with really awful long red hair) while at the same time turning all your hairs gray. I am slowly gaining a better appreciation for that cycle…sorry mom and dad. But in between all that, I have found that there is a lot of really good stuff to experience, and it looks like we are just getting started.

I laugh because you can often hear Jenn saying this is absolutely my favorite stage, but you wonder how can it be her favorite stage if the last one was…so I guess it is fair to say that things just keep getting better.

Nolin is no longer a baby, but he is now our little boy.  I watch him figuring new things out and looking to us for guidance and help along the way.

This past weekend, we had a chance to celebrate our friends’ daughter’s 3rd birthday at Gymboree.  Nolin enjoyed running around and getting his hands on everything he could.  With obstacles and toys everywhere it was like a whole new world to explore.

As Nolin would walk around, he always kept an eye out for Jenn and I to make sure we were either watching him or not too far away in case he got into a situation.  He would hold out his hand for help when he was trying to climb up a slide or walk along the balance beam. So thankfully he hasn’t quite hit the total independence stage yet.

He is very interested in taking in everything around him (and probably being the center of attention), so as the instructor would be leading an activity, Nolin was all eyes and ears to make sure he didn’t miss out on anything.

So we are very lucky that the near future doesn’t seem to hold any major forms of rebellion for us.  The one thing that has meant the most is a new phrase he has been saying lately.  He can’t quite get the whole I Love You phrase down, instead he simply says “I You“.  This is often followed with a kiss (he is really big into that right now, but I can be fairly certain that this will not last into his teenage years).

Going into the parenting process much less the adoption process I always had a fear for that my son would not bond with me.  Thankfully that didn’t happen and his two words I You, (for me) say so much more than a simple I love you.