He constantly reminds me that he is a ‘Big Dude’. Literally,
he is not. He is short and scrawny for his age. But healthy as can be and as
strong as an ox! I know that one day a growth spurt will take him from looking
six months to a year younger than his age to looking two-plus years older than
his age. What he means, though, is that he can do it himself. Everything. Put
on his jammies, bathe himself, feed himself, dress himself, get in the car
himself, figure it out himself. He wants to be big like Daddy and he acts like
Daddy is the center of the universe because he is so big and strong and seems
to know everything. He asks about him constantly when he is not around. He runs
to him when he gets home from work…immediately asking him to play or rough
house or whatever suits his mood for that day.
He climbs in Daddy’s lap to play games or read books after
supper. Did I mention he loves his feet? Lil’ Man, not Daddy. He loves his
feet…and his toes even more. He constantly
reminds us, saying ‘I wub my feet’. While they play, he holds his fat little
feet in his chubby little hands. He may be scrawny everywhere else, but his
feet and hands still remind me of a chunky little infant. He holds his
feet…unaware that he is even doing so.
When the book ends, Daddy kisses his forehead and says ‘Whatcha
doing?’…’I holdin’ my feet an my toes’ he says in that adorable tiny dude
voice. Daddy reaches down and holds his
feet, too. We’ve joked for almost 3
years now about how fat his feet are…they really look like hunks of summer
sausages with tiny lil’ smokies attached to the ends. Shoes have been a
challenge…must be lace-up so that they will be able to be loosened to go all
the way around his feet. He started
walking…full-on walking…at 9 months and his feet remained round on the
bottom. Skinny little boy…fat sausage
feet. But he loves his feet.
I’m sitting next to them through this exchange. Not paying
too much attention, but Mamma always knows what’s going on with the family. It’s
our job, right? Daddy says ‘Have you seen this, Mamma?’ So, I look up and he shows me. Lil’ Man’s
feet have bones across the top…and an arch! Don’t get me wrong, they are still
chubby as feet go and I know he’s not any older. Not by more than 10 seconds
since the last time I glanced over at the two of them. But in my mind he’s suddenly 12 years old
with stinky boy feet, sweaty armpits and with no need for his Mamma. I like
being needed by this tiny dude, but there will be time for that still…right?
They go upstairs to get ready for bed and I hear the
familiar sounds of what is sure to be a messier-than-necessary shower. But most
things are messier-than-necessary with Lil’ Man. He has had a lingering cough…off and on…for
the past few days. I hear him start up again. It breaks my heart. Daddy pours
some medicine for him and calls down to me that they are done and ready for
prayers. We say our bedtime prayers as a
family and dole out hugs and kisses…K goes to her room to check her alarm, put
out clothes for school and go to sleep.
Lil’ Man comes over to me…climbs up in my lap…’Mamma, I wub you. Can I
snuggie you?’…as my heart melts, I pull a blanket over him, snuggle him down
into my arms and reach for his feet…I always kiss his toes good night. And they
aren’t stinky…yet. As his cough subsides
and sleep sneaks in, he mumbles ‘Mamma, I am yous dude.’ Love…
~Jac
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