The Birthday Boy - Nancy East

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Eight years ago last Friday, I held my newborn baby boy in my arms and marveled at how much I adored this little person whom I had just met. I didn’t believe in love at first sight until he emerged into the world and locked eyes with me. If I could choose any day to relive in my life, I’d have to beg for three–the birth of Buddy and Lou and the day we met Jones. Meeting my children is the closest I’ve ever come to believing in God.

I now look at my baby boy who is far from a baby. He is quickly catching up to his Mama in stature and something about his look this summer has transitioned from “little boy” to “big boy.” He can flash his million dollar smile and I swoon. He is intelligent, jovial, kind, compassionate, rambunctious, insightful, fun loving, athletic, adventurous, silly, respectful, and curious (and those are just the qualities I can think of off the top of my head). When he wanted to be homeschooled, I was terrified of my abilities as his teacher but I was secretly excited and thankful to be able to spend the time with him. For one day, the time will be much more scarce and I am all too aware of this. His attention will divert to his friends, his own interests, his significant other, and everything else in between. I am okay with that only because I know what will also evolve with time is a friendship. I learned from the best and plan to emulate that process as much as I possibly can, in hopes of all three of my children one day considering their parents “two of their best friends.” Our relationship will not end when he leaves home–in many ways it will have just begun.

For now, I will enjoy having a captive audience and the hectic days of school, soccer, piano, gardening, bike riding, camping, Legos, talking, cooking, and all the other gazillions of things that fill our days as mother and son. As much as I may sometimes grumble about the stress of being a mother who is with her kids more than the average mom, I know I will look back on these years as the most rewarding of my life. It’s a good feeling to know I keep the company of such amazing little people. My birthday boy, my sweet Buddy. How proud and honored I am to be your Mama.