baby to boy

I referred to X as my baby while I changed his diaper this morning & he quickly chirped back: "I'm not a little baby anymore, I'm just a little boy." I'd always thought of 2 as the marker between babyhood & childhood, but somehow we slipped past it without notice. X still nurses avidly, he still loves to "guggle" his mama & papa & he's very devoted to the use of a bib & a baby spoon & a diaper (no potties for this big boy). So to hear him tell it like this quite out of the blue was something of a blow. Especially coming on the heels as it does of our recent efforts to replace him in his role as the baby of the house.

But along with this movement away from babyhood comes increasing cleverness, verbal dexterity, curiosity about all things & the ability & desire to chart his own course. And however frustrating the latter may be for me at times, I take pleasure in seeing him charge with confidence into the heart of his life. "I'm not a baby anymore, mama." I stand corrected, little son.