Tearing Up A Box Of Kleenex

Well, it's official. I got the letter stating that Lawson has been enrolled at Roberts Elementary for the fall of 2014. How can it be? I really can't believe it!


I love this little boy. He is just so precious.


I sit here not knowing even where to begin with this post. As I think about what next year will be like, it makes me quite sad. For the first time EVER, I'll have two in elementary school and ONLY two at home! It was 2011 when I last had just two at home with me all day, most every day! That'll be quite the switch.

Lawson James has risen to the occasion of being my helper these past two years as Peyton's been away at school. He straps Emerson into his carseat and unbuckles him when we get out, he helps carry groceries, gets diapers and wipes when I can't quite reach them; he's my ever present helper in the kitchen--unloading the dishwasher, stirring some food on the stove or helping with a batch of cookies. He's my buddy every afternoon from 12:30-2:00. He loves to do abcmouse.com, read together, play trains and build with blocks or legos, painting or color, he also enjoys playing Sorry as well as Chutes and Ladders. I'm trying to savor every moment that we have together.


But I must honestly say that I vacillate back and forth on the pendulum of wanting to soak up every last minute that I have with him then also desiring "quiet time" with him resting in his room away from me so I can have time to blog, email, have an uninterrupted phone conversation…anything! Then as soon as I send him away I'm gripped by these thoughts that "it won't be like this for long." I hear Darius Rucker singing in my head and I want to burst into tears! Whats a Mama to do?

As I think back on moments we've had together this past year here's a few that prominently stick out:

I've enjoyed our picnics on the trampoline, looking up at the trees and enjoying the beautiful sunshine together!



Letting him run in his pj's all morning long and watching him throw up a headstand in just about any location is always pretty amusing. We seriously should have probably put him in some type of gymnastics class, he's incredibly skillful in this area (he can do a front flip standing completely still on the trampoline, that's pretty impressive to me!)



We took a little breather in a pile of leaf bags.


We found acorns here and there on our hand in hand walks down the street to the bus stop where we sit waiting on the curb for Peyton to arrive home.



And when I get real emotional with all of that and can't quite think straight, I remember back when the "black dragon" showed up at our house and that brings the humor back in! Check it out, it's pretty amazing what a black Crayola marker can cover! (Let's just say I wasn't so tearfully emotional that day as I was angry emotional. You know there were black footprints down our beige stairs and in our hallway right?----Yeah, not tearful, just angry that time!)



I love how he regularly calls himself "Law-so" (when he's doing something cool or super hero like). His favorite outfit will always be his map shorts, Thomas the train sleeveless t-shirt and his cowboy boots…it's his to.die.for combination!


When I think back on our times together, one of my most favorite pictures is this one. It's of him clopping around in these big ole yellow galoshes as he helped me clean out the garage and move things around to the back. It's just a precious moment that captures his little personality…helpful, playful, and fun! It also depicts a little bit of the gut wrenching reality that he will be walking away in a few months---into a new classroom, into new experiences and influences. I know he'll do great. I'll have my teary moments and we'll get on with things, but I do, if I'm honest, get sad about not being the most influential person in his daily life. I'll miss the little moments we have together now and hate that I'll have to wonder about what he's doing as opposed to knowing what he's doing or done all day long.


As I'm thinking about what's to come I'm inspired to do more with him, to take more time to savor the moments and enjoy the little things. I love you Lawson James and treasure these days together! Let's go make some more memories Bud!