http://blog.thisisthelaststraw.com/" title="This is the Last Straw">This is the Last Straw

My oldest daughter left today to go camping a day early with my brother-in-law and his kids.  We’re meeting up with them tomorrow.  Sam, my youngest, shed a few tears when his big sister left.  He never asked why he couldn’t go or begged or pitched a fit.  My husband, however, did ask why Sam didn’t go with them.  I thought for a minute and realized I didn’t have a good reason why.  It wasn’t because he’s too young to spend the night off, or that he’s not ready to be away from mom and dad.  And it certainly wasn’t that my brother-in-law wasn’t willing to take him.  I realized it was because I didn’t want him to go.  I’m not sure if it’s because he’s my youngest or that   he’s my only son.  Maybe it’s a combination of both of those things.    It’s definitely not that I love him more than I love my girls.  I just know that I hold on a little tighter to him.

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I use to roll my eyes when my grandmother would say, “Oh, they grow up sooo fast.”  It hit me today as Sam sat pouting on the steps how true that old saying really is.  There are so many moments with my kids that I wish I could freeze in time not wanting them to get any bigger.  But it happens regardless of what we want.  On the other hand I feel so blessed to see them grow and learn and change each and every day.  So I’ll try to loosen my grip a little (just in time to wipe my tears) and let him be the little man he wants to be.