Another year...

Today was Damon's last day of First Grade!

The schools here dismissed 2 hours early... and Damon came running off the bus, jumped in my car grinning from ear to ear, and exclaimed, "School's Done, Mom!!!!!" Yes, it is. And now my baby is officially a Second Grader. Craziness.

I'm tellin' ya, it feels like he was just born. And I can remember his first year or two with a good bit of clarity... but then, the years just kinda run together and form a big blur in my mind.

Suddenly, Damon is this HUGE kid. I can't keep him in shoes, clothes, or underwear... as soon as I think he's set for a while, he outgrows everything again. He's just... gigantic. And bears little resemblance to that chubby-faced baby with the enormous blue eyes, short ham hock legs, and an endless supply of drool.

I don't REALLY want to go back to those days. I'm extremely grateful to have survived them once! But I do miss that sweet baby... a lot. He'll live forever in my heart and in the billions of photographs that I've taken over the years, and every once in a blue moon, I still see a glimpse of him peeking out of that big kid who holds him hostage. But I'll never again hold that chubby baby tight to my chest and dance around the living room, knowing that there's nothing in this world better than that.

Congrats, Damon, on surviving another year of public school! I know this year was really hard on you because your crazy parents moved you halfway across the country and you faced a lot of changes that were difficult on your 7-year-old self. But, as usual, you were a trooper and pulled through! I want you to know (someday in the future when you might actually read this and care) that your Dad and I couldn't love you more or be any prouder of the big kid that you're becoming. Now, be a good boy and don't drive me completely nuts this summer, okay?? Hugs and Kisses, Mommy.