A Tale of Two Pictures

Well, two pairs of pictures. But that doesn't make as nifty a title.

I am every day struck by the duality of my little boy. How he can sound so mature and articulate one minute, and how he can throw a tantrum and remind me that he is still between four and five years old the next. One minute he asks, about a character in one of his books, "Was he being sarcastic?" The next minute he is screaming in the grocery store because we won't buy him a new snack called Fruit Gushers.

Sometimes I just have to step back and tell myself, "He's only four. Relax. He's only four."

These next two pictures, from today's play date with his friend Nicholas, remind me of that.

Two little boys. Goofing around in the back yard.

Silly little boys.

Now, a couple other pictures, from the same day. The same moment, almost.


Here we have a couple of guys checking out something or other. Doesn't matter what. Two me they just look like guys in this picture. Not little kids. Guys.


It is amazing to me what a picture can capture. They just look like dudes here. Running around and hanging out and what not. In the first two pictures they are little kids being goofballs, as little kids should be.

Whenever his grandparents fret about how much he has grown since they last saw him, I understand. But I also strive to remind them that even though he can name all of the planets, and all three of the moons of Pluto [seriously...how many of you can do that right at this moment without Google?], he is still a little boy just barely removed from toddlerhood. A goofball little boy. Fascinated by the word poop. Talking to the tv while he watches"Blues Clues". Freaking out if his little stuffed friend Guinea Pig hasn't been found by bed time.

What a fascinating process.