The Simple Life

Today, Hayes was trying hard to convince me of his big boy status. What prompted him to do so was the fact that our heads were almost the exact same height when he stood next to me on the bed. Of course, the difference is that my feet were on the ground and his were not. When I tried to explain this would not happen if he were standing on the floor because he is only three, he switched strategies and said that he IS big because he's almost four.

Since there was no point in reasoning with him any further, I considered the conversation closed. But he began to explain to me that soon he will be four and then he will be five and then six and then seven (he stopped at thirteen), insinuating that he is big now, but he will get bigger and bigger as time goes on.

That's when I became nostalgic by the thought that my three year old will never be three years old again. He will, in fact, only get bigger and bigger and things more and more complicated. And I'll miss these simple days.

So I told him that when he turns four, I will miss him. And he told me that he will miss me too.

When his father walked into the room, Hayes told him he will miss him too.

Not knowing what conversation he had walked into, his father assured him that he would be missed too.

Then all of a sudden Hayes began to cry. And it wasn't just a little cry. He cried a sad, deep, belly cry with big crocodile tears.

His father and I were totally confused. When we asked him why the tears Hayes told us that he didn't want to turn four.

And that's when I knew for sure that things will never be as simple as they are right now.