February 14, 2012

Cartwheels turn to car wheels

My sons have always been the most talkative late at night, just as I'm about to go to sleep. Shaggy Hair Boy will come into our bedroom just as my husband and I are climbing into bed. "Hey, Mom, want to read over the essay I'm writing? It's due tomorrow."

Boy in Black, who is so nocturnal that he often goes to bed just as I'm waking up, will look at me at midnight, just as I'm about to drag my tired self upstairs, and say, "Hey, want to see this youtube clip?"

So it's not surprising that With-a-Why, my youngest son, came into the bathroom to talk to me last night while I was brushing my teeth. Clearly, the best time to talk to Mom is when she's half asleep and has a mouth full of suds.

But it did shock me when I looked up and caught sight of our images, reflected in the bathroom mirror. I had just spit out the toothpaste and straightened up, automatically smiling at the mirror as I did so. With-a-Why, standing behind me, grinned at the mirror too. Over the top of my head.

That’s right. My youngest son, my baby, is a head taller than me. When did that happen?

10 comments:

Elaine said...

. . . through the town. And they tell him, "Take your time. It won't be long now . . . "

When the first baby I held had her first baby I was sure it happened in the blink of an eye! :o)

Liz Miller said...

Holy guacamole.

Cindy said...

I was *trying* to place those lyrics. Joni Mitchell!! Thanks, Elaine.

L said...

sigh... that's going to take a few more years, but I sure am not looking forward to that.

I'm nocturnal like your sons. Do you think I should feel guilty about that? I think society stigmatizes nocturnal people... :P

oh, and thanks to the other commenters for unveiling the Joni Mitchell reference, now I can hear it in my head... sigh. LOVE LOVE LOVE her. :)

jo(e) said...

Lilian: I do think it's harder for nocturnal folks to adjust to a society that expects you to function 9 am to 6 pm. My oldest son has gotten around this by becoming a physicist who can do his research in the middle of the night.

When I use song lyrics in my titles, they are almost always either Joni Mitchell, Bob Dylan, or John Darnielle (Mountain Goats).

YourFireAnt said...

I want to see the photo of son with mother foaming at the mouth. ;-)

T.

BrightenedBoy said...

So wild. And wasn't he like ten or something when you started the blog?

jo(e) said...

FA: Ha!

BB: Yeah, he was ten when I started the blog .... just a little kid.

Kyla said...

BubTar is almost 10 now (he was 4 when I started my blog)...and I'm just a head taller than him. I know the tables will be turned soon!

patrick said...

I have been the tallest in my family forever. At about 6'1", I am nearly a head taller than all my brothers and even taller than most of my relatives (fraternal or maternal). So... it really pissed me off a few years ago when my son overtook me in the height department. And not by a mere half-inch or so, but by nearly three inches.

Grrr...