My dad's birthday was today. Sam wrote "papa" on the card envelope. He signed his name, and this time I could actually tell that it was "Sam" and not some circles and shapes. He also drew a picture of himself on the inside cover. He drew the face, then two lines coming down. I asked him what the lines were and he said "legs". Then he said "Oh yea, I have to draw some arms!". So, he drew two lines coming out of the sides of his face and even drew hands at the end.
Sam can read. He's learning to write. He can draw pictures and people can actually tell what they are supposed to be looking at.
When did this happen?
Just a minute ago, he was so tiny that he couldn't even climb up onto the couch without help. And just a minute before that, they were placing him on my chest in the delivery room.
He's so tall now. Even his teacher mentioned how tall he's gotten. He looks like a boy. He's not a baby or a toddler, he's a full blown preschooler. He's still 3 years old (for another two months), and if someone asked me today how old he is, I would say 3, because I'm not ready to say 4 yet.
Before Eva was born, I used to put Sam to bed every night. Steve does most nights now because I feed Eva before bed. But, we both have the same bedtime routine. Brush teeth, potty, pjs. Then we read a story, sing a song, pray and hold his hand.
Lately, Sam always has us sing the same song - "This Little Light of Mine". But, that wasn't always the case. There were 3 songs that I consistently sang to him since pretty much the day he was born - "Jesus Loves Me", "Hushabye Mountain" and "On Top of Spaghetti". We haven't sang those songs in forever - at least a year, maybe more. I sing the first two to Eva, but I honestly forgot about "On Top of Spaghetti".
So, the other night, I got to put Sam to bed since Eva needed to go to sleep a little early. I was holding him and singing "Jesus Loves Me". Then I sang "Hushabye Mountain", when I started having flashbacks to him as a 6 or 7 month old in the apartment we lived in. And then more flashbacks to sitting in the rocking chair in his nursery when he was a newborn, and even to a year or two ago when he was still in his crib, but bigger, and me singing these same songs to a much smaller version of him.
... And then I finished and he asked me to sing "On Top of Spaghetti".
It has been forever since I sang that song, but as my mind was going back to those precious memories of holding and rocking and singing to him, his was too.
He remembered.
I sang him the last song and as I placed him in bed, I remembered how it felt to place him in that crib. He will never be that small again.
My Sammy is one of the greatest gifts God has ever given me. I love that boy more than any words on any pages could ever say. I look at him daily and just think "God, how did I get so lucky?". I am so grateful for my baby boy. My heart feels like it can't contain the joy he fills it with. I have been blessed beyond measure, and I am so incredibly grateful.
