Where Did The Time Go??

I can say without hesitation it feels as if only yesterday Henry was a tiny little thing and I would hold him for hours and hours without end.  With that said, how is it that just this morning we went to his Kindergarten Graduation?  I suddenly feel as if he is no longer my Baby, my Little Man.  I watched him stand up on stage, sing songs he has memorized, represent the R in KINDERGARTEN (he was the last R), and receive the President's Award.  (Okay, I suppose I should explain what the award means... Instead of simply handing out a certificate of achievement to each student, the Teachers thought about each student and gave them an award that symbolizes who and what they were during the year.  For example, there was most athletic, best reader, best dressed and so on and so forth.  Henry received the President's Award... don't worry, I didn't quite understand what it meant at first either :o)  It wasn't as self explanatory as the others, so I spoke to his Teacher, and he received that award because she is certain Henry will be President.  She has told me on numerous occasions Henry is one of the best students she has had in a long while and she is quite taken with him.  He is polite, well behaved, respectful, considerate and smart.  Wow, that is quite a compliment!  I think as parents we would like to think we are doing a good job in creating respectful, honest, honorable children, but this was an affirmation all of my efforts have not been in vain.  He is all that I could hope and more, and for that he received the President's Award.) 

So now I am left feeling as if somewhere in the past year, without my knowledge or permission, Henry has grown into a young man.  I am proud of the young man he is becoming, he takes others into consideration and tries to be friendly with everyone he encounters.  He is giving and is almost always willing to share his lunch if asked.  He opens the door for strangers at restaurants in an effort to be courteous, and when thanked he will respond with "you are welcome M'am".  I'm not saying my child is perfect, after all if you have met his Father and myself you know he is working against some pretty difficult odds.  But when I take into consideration he is six years old I am amazed with the young man he is becoming and yet am left feeling it has all happened a bit too quickly.

I am thinking of consoling myself with a half gallon of ice cream, perhaps a cheese cake...  but instead I think I shall sneak into his room while he sleeps tonight and snuggle with him for a long while.

If he was really asleep, she picked up that "six-year-old boy" and rocked him back and forth, back and forth, back and forth.  And while she rocked him, she sang:

I'll love you forever,
I'll like you for always,
As long as I'm living
my baby you'll be.

- Love You Forever by Robert Munsch