Who Hit the Fast Forward Button?

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I turned around and you were two,
I turned around and you were four,
I turned around and you were a man
Walking out my door.

- Unknown (to me anyway)
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We took Incrediboy to the portrait studio this weekend for the big 2 year old photo session. I was semi-dreading it because the last two photo sessions have been less than smooth due to a budding shy stage and general uncooperativeness. But let me tell you, he was absolutely charming. Just perfect! We got some of just him, and then some family portraits, as is our adopted annual custom upon his birthdays. Then the Hub had a great idea of getting a shot of just him and the boy, and of just me and the boy. I’m glad he thought of that because both of these came out absolutely precious. My wonderful Hub, with our wonderful boy sitting on his knee, both looking prouder than the other. The one of me with our boy, cheek to cheek, hugging, smiling.

I mean you’d just gag if you saw them, they’re so precious.

Our family portrait that we selected – it’s great. Couldn't have asked for a nicer shot! But it's almost sad in a way. Incrediboy is sitting so nice, in his tan corduroys and blue sweater with the white shirt collar folded dapperly at the neck, with one hand resting casually on his knee … He looks so … grown up. How can a 2 year old looks so grown up?

Thanksgiving is around the corner. This has become a flurry-esque time of year for my little family, as we also have Most Beautiful Dog’s anniversary of coming to live with us (which happens to be today – 3 years! – yes, I know we’re dorks but remember, we love our dog to a ridiculous degree) and Incrediboy’s birthday along with Turkey Day.

Two years ago this week we anxiously awaited the arrival of our miracle child – the one we never thought we’d have. Incrediboy was born on a Tuesday, and we brought him home from the hospital on Thanksgiving morning. It was cold and rainy that day and we were exhausted and scared out of our minds. Friends dropped by with care packages – turkey, stuffing, sweet potatoes, gravy and pie. Then more friends with more care packages. We ended up with enough food to feed us for a week – and it was a heartwarming thing to be remembered by friends in such a way on a family oriented holiday.

Incrediboy’s first birthday fell on Thanksgiving Day, which was appropriate on so many levels. We’d all had a long, exasperating, and exciting year of adjusting to one another, and the Hub and I were more grateful for our little man than anything we could have fathomed. We took his photo at the minute he was born the year before. We topped off Thanksgiving Dinner with birthday cake. Incrediboy, surrounded by adoring cousins, had his own little cake and had a ball making a complete mess with it. As we leaned in for a picture, Incrediboy took a big fist full of cake and, with a big grin, smashed Daddy with it. What a clown! I knew even as it was happening that this would be the one Thanksgiving I would most distinctly remember for my entire life.

This year the baby is almost all gone and has been replaced by a little boy. He stands as high as my hip now – tall and thin – and while still holding a special love for Elmo, can’t get enough cars, tractors, trains and heavy equipment in his little life. I can remember my best friend telling me as I desperately clawed at sanity after getting no decent sleep for 10 straight weeks, “I know it seems like it will never end right now, but before you know it you’ll be wondering where the time went.”

She was right.

My boy is growing up so fast. How does that happen? When time strides along in faithfully identical increments of measure, how is it that entire chunks seem to scream by as if shot from a gun?

Before we know it he’ll be starting school. Getting involved in sports and social activities. He’ll be away more than he’s home. Next thing we know he’ll be off to college. We’ll help him load his things, move it all into a cramped dorm room, and then watch him wave goodbye to us in afterthought fashion as he begins to meet the new most important people in his life. I can’t begin to grasp that – so I focus as much as I can on the present. Spending as much time with him as I can. Writing him mother’s love letters in his journals after he goes to bed, Elmo clutched tight against him. Taking too many pictures and hugging him every time he gets within arm’s reach. Because it’ll be here before we know it.

My little Incrediboy. Please don’t grow up too fast.