My boy is no longer a baby

James turned 7 yesterday.  He had a great birthday party. We had a bunch of wild and sweet boys playing in our above ground pool and having water balloon fights. It was a shark - themed birthday party complete with a shark cake and a shark tooth necklace for everyone.

Prior to the big day, I was having a hard time with it. James no longer looks like a baby. If it weren't for still having almost all his baby teeth, people would think he is older than seven. He hasn't wanted to hold my hand in public anymore. He pulls his hand out of my grip when I have made to hold his hand.

This is the year we have also to declare our intent to homeschool because he is now seven. So many big boy things to come. More academics to add to our schedule. No longer making sure he has a solid foundation in the basics like reading and writing and math. We will tackle science and history and I am developing a boy's book club for the Fall.

So, time marches on. No more little hands to hold. No younger sibling to ease me into this.

However,  and on the bright side ('cause there always is one) I am the only female in the house and I get lots of love at home. James will plop his big self on my lap every so often to watch a show. He still cuddles in the mornings. And just the other day, as if he knew I needed it, he grabbed me around my waist and said, "I love you so much Mommy". We were at Target. A public place. And we weren't in the toy department. I stopped everything and squeezed him back. He still calls me Mommy. Ahhhhh.

For soon, he will be bigger than me. I fully expect him to be as tall as me when he's 10. And then he will be bigger. All of him. His feet. His hands. He will tower over me.

Until then, a new phase of our relationship develops. One where he is my protector against big cats in his heroic fantasies. He hold the cat's jaws wide open so I can run away to safety (and call 911) then he pokes him in the eye. Apparently this is a huge deterrent for big cats.

I love my boy. I love this crazy journey of parenthood.  And I love the private cuddles and the peace that comes with knowing ain't no big cat gonna get me!!