Shaddup Already!
2005-06-28
Growing Up
For everyone who has had the privilege of raising another living creature from babyhood, there comes a moment.This is the moment where you see the change. There are generally more than one.
When you have a baby that you see each day, all day long, the small growing spurts are nearly impossible to see. Those around you may "oooh" and "aaah" over the changes your baby is going through, but you just can't see them.
Then, one day, your baby looks a little different. You can't quite explain it, but you study them, looking for a clue. You may spend days trying to figure out the change, but it isn'the moments of pondering that make it clear to you.
Perhaps you see your little one in a familiar situation, maybe there is something constant that you compare them to, but it comes to you like a burst of lightening. Not the loud, thundering kind, but the gentle flashes that quietly light up a night sky in the summertime.
I had this moment today. I've been spending days wondering if I'm feeding my puppy too little, or if he might be sick. Then it hit me, he is losing his puppy fat. He has gone from a roly-poly ball of fur and tongue to a long, lean specimen that is all legs.
This moment is bittersweet. I look forward to my baby growing up and pursuing dreams of freestyle heeling with me. I want an exercise partner and a swim partner. Someone I don't have to worry about coordination with and juvenile growth plates. Atticus is headed swiftly down that road.
As happy as I will be with my grown-up dog, I will most definitely miss these puppy days. It won't be much longer before he will no longer be able to fit on my lap.
