Kindergarten Graduation

Today AJ graduated Kindergarten.

I can hardly comprehend that the school year is over.

He went from this little guy on the first day of school...

to this big first grader today...

He's growing up right before our eyes.

Yet it's not something you see shift or notice.

It just happens.

Like an optical illusion.

It's a sneaky process, a child growing up.

It's a subtle shift that happens and goes unseen in the day to day grind.

Some parts are so hard and seem like eternity in that moment.

Then you wake up and months have gone by and your Kindergartener is a first grader.

Just like that.

Even though you can so clearly remember the first day of school that was ten months ago like it was yesterday.

I never fully understood it would go this fast.

In fact, it really annoyed me when older people would try and warn me by saying things like, "Cherish them now because you will blink, and they will be grown."

It's a phenomenon that I'm convinced can't be understood till you experience it.

Today when the video was titled

The Class of 2025

I felt my heart hit the floor, and blinked back tears.

Because I knew I would be experiencing this same phenomenon with a greater magnitude in 12 years.

And I wanted to stop time.

I wanted to play Crazy 8's and hear AJ laugh forever.

I wanted AJ to show me his newest Lego masterpiece forever and always.

I wanted him stay my baby boy.

It's bittersweet.

Exciting to see him get to experience the world, yet so hard to let go.

I'm so proud of the gentleman AJ is becoming, but it's still gut wrenching to let the world have him.

Every part of parenting is hard.

The tantrums and potty training when they are toddlers...

The handling the curve balls life throws at you in the moment...

The spectacular diaper blowouts at the park...

The holding a crying son when his feelings are hurt because a kid made fun of his training wheels...

All the way to the letting them go when you have been working up to that exact moment of letting them go.

It's a beautiful, hard, fulfilling journey.

So what can I say?

I say go to every event you can.

Even if it's exhausting to get everyone ready and haul them around.

And take pictures, so you can relive those fleeting moments.

Because that's what they are...

Fleeting.

 

 

Posted with Blogsy