10

Kael turns ten today!  He woke up to his room filled with balloons, the bathroom mirror decorated, and barely enough time to open one gift.  He's growing up (and sleeping in).  I'll certainly write more later about family celebrations and such, but on this sunny spring day, I can't help but feeling a pull at my heartstrings.  How can it have been ten whole years ago that this sweet boy entered our lives?  He stole my heart the moment I laid eyes on him, knowing he would change my world forever.  Below is a picture I took of him before school this morning, then a few stories and thoughts on my sports-lovin', strong-willed firstborn.

I could see the disappointment in his eyes.  "I'm too big," he said as he pointed to the sign.  We rarely eat out on weeknights but the kids' school was having a fundraiser at Chick-Fil-A so we went.  We hadn't been there for a few months, but the last time we were there, Kael was under the height requirement meaning he could play in the playplace. Tonight was a different story.  He had grown at least a couple of inches since we had last been there, and now was too tall to play.

This isn't the first I've noticed of Kael growing up although it happened seemingly over night. Yesterday I stopped by a park with the kids and there was still a spring chill in the air.  The kids, of course, were warm from running around but I was cold.  Kael looked at me and said, "Here you go, Mom.  You can have my jacket to stay warm."  I praised him and he shrugged his shoulders as though he hadn't even thought twice about it.  It had just seemed like the right thing to do, so he did it.  That's so Kael.  How he can be so intuitive sometimes to such things like that, but then not hear me when we're looking directly in each other's eyes.  "Um, what'd you say Mom?" Kael is such a wonderful mystery to me, even after all these years.

His sports knowledge is second to none.  He memorizes facts, read books, watches games and he knows his stuff.  I love watching him quiz Kent on things and occasionally stumping him.

Kael, I imagine, is right where a lot of ten year old boys are.  Clinging fiercely to their (new) independence, but still needing Dad and Mom.  Recently as I signed Kael up for a basketball camp at a nearby elementary school, he suggested, "I can just ride my bike there if that's ok with you."

Heavily influenced by peers, I find myself walking that fine line of being interested in what his friends do, but not falling for the, "But alllll my friends stay up past 10:00 and they don't have to do any chores" type excuses.  I find myself constantly saying, "We will do what's right for our family," which might be different for what's right in his friends' families.

He stays up late and I can sense him starting to change.  Even though he goes to bed at usual time, he often doesn't fall asleep until much later.  I've had to almost regularly start waking him for school in the morning which is something totally new.

How he can seem so grown up one minute and so boyish the next is beyond me.  I feel like time is slipping through my hands and I find myself wishing that every moment with him would freeze.  He's entering those "tween" years and I know there are tough moments ahead. But I say, bring 'em on.  Me and my Kael are ready for them.

I love you, buddy!