Love You Forever

It was Keegan's choice tonight...we often take turns of who picks out the bedtime books. He appropriately chose Love You Forever by Robert Munsch on his first day of SECOND GRADE. Other parents always tell me "It goes by so fast. It probably doesn't seem like it now." Are you KIDDING ME! It sure does seem to be going by fast. If you have kids or grand kids I'm sure you are familiar with this touching book. Keegan pulled it off his bookshelf and I said "Okay Keegan we can read it, but I'll probably cry." He told me he thought it was funny. He likes the parts when the toddler flushes a watch down the toilet and pulls the whole roll of toilet paper down. We sat close in his denim chair in his room. Sam wandered in and slouched over me on the arm of the chair. And I read, "I'll love you forever, I'll like you for always, As long as I'm living, my baby you'll be." Right on cue, on the part when the grown man is holding his mom singing the song, I got choked up and small tears formed in my eyes. Keegan looked up at me, gave a little smile and burrowed in closer. But at the end of the book you are happy again because the Man starts the tradition over with his own daughter. I tucked them both in and whispered, "I'll love you forever, I'll like you for always, As long as I'm living my baby you'll be."

After school today Keegan said, "I feel like I'm in high school." I think because he felt old. I smiled as he ran out to play with his neighborhood buddies because I am happy for him. I remember that sense of independence, that feeling of 'Man I am big stuff.' Then I stopped making dinner and sat on the floor with my dear 4 year old whose Mom is still the center of his world for a little longer.