My son, Dallas, is 16 months old now, and getting more independent every day. Suddenly, he has discovered that he is his own person and doesn't have to be attached to mommy every moment.
Dallas got a little bumblebee riding toy for Christmas, where you sit on the back of it and use your legs to scoot around the floor. At first, all he could do was sit on the seat for a few seconds while someone held him on there and pushed, and then he would kind of slither off.
Then, we got to the point where he was learning to use his feet, and could move a little as long as someone held him and gave him a push.
The other day, he went to climb on, and I came right over to help him. He gently took a hand and pushed me away, and as I let go he scooted off on his own.
I watched him move across the floor all by himself, and was so proud and sad at the same time. About halfway across the room, he stopped and looked back over his shoulder at me before continuing on.
And suddenly I saw him going off to kindergarten, and turning to look back at me.
And graduating from high school, and turning to look back at me.
And walking down the aisle at his wedding, and turning to look back at me.
(All that was missing from this scene was Butterfly Kisses by Bob Carlisle playing in the background.)
Right at the moment that I was about to lose it, Dallas ran into the corner. And as hard as he tried, he couldn't figure out how to turn himself around.
So he looked back again, and used a new word he's learned: "Help!"
And Mommy got to be his hero for just a little while longer. :-)
