Unexpected Milestones

When you have kids, you have all of the normal milestones.  First time sleeping through the night, first time sitting up, first birthday.  Potty-training being done, going to preschool, kindergarten, learning to read.  All of these things make you both proud of your kid and kind of sad that they're growing up.  Well, except for the potty-training one.  That one takes a while to feel "nostalgic" about.  Nostalgic isn't the correct word in this sense, but for lack of a better word, I'll use it.

But then you have some "unexpected" milestones that you find yourself getting a little misty-eyed over.  Here they are for me today:

Suddenly realizing that your kid isn't yelling "I'm done!!!" after using the bathroom.  The call to Mom or Dad to come and finish because they don't want to.  Don't get me wrong....I'm thrilled to not have to do the wiping anymore.  But he's not a little guy any more.  He's a BIG BOY.  Or as he says, "not big, Mom.   I'm a MEDIUM BOY."

Last night, I took the boys to the library after school pickup because Sean has been begging to go.  And I've had a bag o' books that were overdue, too.  I should probably clarify that the boys like our library because the children's room has toys.  A big train table, a lego station....both boys usually make a beeline for it and I have difficulty in getting them to pick a couple of books first.  Not last night....Sean went right for the trains and Will...Will went over to the Charlie and Lola book bin, sat down and starting choosing books.  And asking me questions about what books we should bring home.  "Mom?  Let's look at some nonfiction today.  Ooh, can I get that book on weather?"  This is really big for me, as I am a sucker for books and libraries are one of my favorite places on Earth!  I'm ecstatic over having a kid that's over the moon about books.  But wow....that is the very first time that he's chosen the books over the precious legos!

I'm sure that I'll be adding to the list periodically.  And though I'm "sad" over them growing up, I'm having a great time on their journey.  Maybe not all the time, but most of it.