“This Is When I Knew He Was Growing Up”

“This Is When I Knew He Was Growing Up”

So I have a son. His name is Alexander. In past blogs, I’ve discussed meeting him for the first time, the terror that comes with being a new dad, and then the joys that are sprinkled in as well that make it all worthwhile. I would call Parenting   “Constant Worrying and Terror with Dessert”.  You really know nothing but you also know everything. Everything I say here would make sense to a new parent and sound like complete gibberish to the people with their freedom still intact.  God Bless.

We've  fast forwarded and Alex is now 1 Year old.  He no longer eats out of a bottle. He no longer drinks formula or is amused by laying under a baby gym.  He likes real food, he likes girls, and he likes to quite frankly be a jerk from time to time.  I love him, but I'm pretty sure he’s mocking me on almost a daily basis.  I told myself that when my baby got old enough to throw his Sippy cup on the floor during meals, I would let it sit there and let him cry. I was a big fat liar.  You do whatever it takes to make him happy in that moment.  I can't wait until he can talk so I can argue with him in public. Right now it’s me yelling and him grinning and throwing it on the floor again.

This all ties in to the moment that I knew he wasn't a baby anymore.  This past weekend, he really took his first steps. He’s done some drunken sloppy flops but this weekend he walked multiple steps to and from his Mommy and me.  It was amazing.  I was so pumped like I just won the big game. His Mother was being consoled by family crying that she basically lost her little boy.  I felt that too but hid it better this time.  I was excited and was starting to plan our summer home for when he made the NBA and put us up there when I was too old to want to do anything for myself.  Me and him and his Mommy were together FOREVER!!!!!............. not so fast.

We are at my cousin’s softball game.  He sees the playground and starts pointing and hooting and hollering. We saunter over. There are about 5 little girls over there ranging from 7 to 2.  Alex lights up like a Christmas tree. They ask his name and if they can carry him. I say no but you can walk around with him. Alex proceeds, beaming mind you, to go walking off with a gaggle of girls surrounding him. He wasn't scared, he wasn't unhappy, and he could have cared less where Daddy went.  The kid was in the freaking zone.  I let that one shake off me until we got back to our area for the game and the girls come over to play catch.  He’s showing off, standing up throwing, really showing his A Game to the ladies.  The girls then leave. I go over to play with him. It’s my turn.  He’s going to be so psyched. Daddy and Alex!.  I might as well have been a brick wall.  He turned away from me, our ball throwing game we've played for months in his room and at parks, to find the cute blonde 2 year old he was just flirting with.  I guess I was ok with Mommy winning over Daddy when it came to his affection but now he'd rather play ball with the little girls.  This is NOT ok.  This was a wake-up call.

”This Is When I Knew He Was Growing Up”