Warp speed...

When I used to hear parents say, "Enjoy it because it happens so fast" it sounded true to me, but I think I always felt like when it was my turn to be a parent I would magically slow down time and savor every moment of my kid's development. Well, that is of course impossible, but I think I am beginning to know where that feeling of accelerated time comes from and have a few thoughts on it.

Tonight while we were taking a bath, after a healthy round of Row Row Row Your Boat using the visual aid of a pasta spoon as the oar, I was talking to Henry about things. I was explaining fingers and toes, full versus empty, things like that. I was asking him if he could say certain words back to me like Mama, Papa, Gigi, Grandpa, Nana, Gramalex, etc. Then I had an idea to try the names of animals. I naturally started with cat. I said, "Henry, can you say cat?" and he said back to me sort of matter-of-factly, "Meow". I was very surprised and very pleased.

So that got me thinking about the element of surprise, and I have concluded that part of what parents are talking about when they say it happens so fast is that it happens almost despite anything you are even doing; when your back is turned even. That magic of this person becoming who they are without any prompting from you is really amazing. It is happening fast, but more than that I think it is just happening in every direction at once and the moment you focus on one thing and think you are contributing and you are awaiting the result of your excellent tutelage, something else is happening that is just as or even more interesting that has little to do with you. My little guy is constantly learning with or without me. Crazy. Awesome.

It's kind of like when the grand finale starts at a fireworks show. Sometimes you see a burst so beautiful that you want to keep watching the entirety of it from the explosion to the trickle of sparkle and flames diving toward the earth, but if you do, you will inevitably miss the next one which is just as amazing but in a completely different way. That's why as a kid you would yell, "Ooohh! That was my favorite! Ohhh, no that one was my favorite! Wooooah! Okay that one was my favorite!" That's how it feels. Every day with Henry is my favorite. -W