Little Man

Thirty days of Thankfulness: I'm thankful for my littlest guy.  I will truthfully admit I'd hoped with a great deal of verve that he'd be a girl.  Now, I can't imagine being without him.  He's the smiliest, chattiest little fellow I've met.  It startles me to realize that his smile is mine.  He is full of sweetness as he cuddles against my chest in the afternoon naptime and nestles his head in the curve of my neck. 

He's growing so fast I've already had the first pangs of nostalgia.  If our prayers are answered, he'll have a little sister.  As he's already outgrowing clothes, as I put them away, I realize the next time I pull them out may very well be to sell them or pass them on.  It's the same as every other mother's pang: my child is growing, and I'm happy for it.  I'm also sad that time is passing.

I know I'll blink and suddenly he'll be as big as Simon is now, forming words, performing the toddler hop-run as he dashes from room to room, grinning when we understand him, when we acknowledge what he has to say.  He'll be learning to tease his sister and wrestling with his brother.  I'll blink again, and he'll be starting school.  Again, and he'll be taking his driver's test and we'll start hearing rumors about girls from his siblings.  Again, and he'll be gone to college or some other grown-up pursuit.  And I'll stand there wondering what had happened to that little guy who just wanted to nap with his mommy close-by.

For now, he's small.  He's sweet.  He'll delight everyone he meets when he locks eyes and gives them one of the most dashing smiles I've seen, while I still marvel at the fact that such a handsome, winsome expression could be just like mine.

Thank you, Lord, for my little man, my sweetest of sweet little men.  What a wonder he is.