I went into Parker's room the other day to check in on him while he was napping. It's a parent thing. Even though he's too old for SIDS and can call me if he needs me, I still have to go in to watch him breathe. Just seeing the rising and falling of his chest fills me with my own sense of well-being and I can go about my business for the next hour...until I have to go check on him again.
When I walked in and saw the position he was sleeping in, I had one of those moments where even though I know in my head that he's closing in on his fourth birthday, what I saw was a sweet tiny baby boy.
It reminded me of the scene in Father of the Bride when Steve Martin's daughter is sitting at the dinner table and tells her family that she's getting married. As you watch the scene unfold through his eyes, you see a 7-year-old girl sitting there instead of the woman that she's become. Man, do I understand this now!
What's comforting though is that while it's certainly amazing how they grow and change with each passing month, it's equally amazing how some of their traits and habits remain the same. Parker has slept like this from the day that we brought him home; on his back with his hands in loose fists. I can tell you that if I watch him for long enough, his left hand will twitch at the wrist, almost like he's rolling the throttle of a motorcycle (which he won't be until after his 30th birthday!).
Watching him grow up makes me want to hold tight to each passing day so that I don't miss a thing. Now, please excuse me while I go and immerse myself in baby albums. Who knew that parenthood could make me so sentimental?
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