Pronounced growth

I know all parents say their kids grow up too fast. But it's really true. They change more in the first 3 years than they will in their entire lives. It seems like there are tons of little things that keep reminding me that Biscuit isn't a baby anymore.

Like holding hands. We have rules about when Biscuit has to hold our hands. Mainly, it's parking lots and busy stores, for obvious reasons. But Biscuit also holds my hand as we walk down the main hallway at day care. It started as soon as he could walk, and it still happens most every morning I take him.

In the beginning, "holding my hand" meant wrapping his little hand around one of my fingers. But now, he puts his palm against my palm, and his fingers wrap around my fingers and his thumb reaches up the side of my hand. It's such a sweet thing. It's such an intimate and loving thing. Sometimes when we get to his classroom, I don't want to let go.

The other big thing that's happened with Biscuit lately is that he can pronounce his R's. He used to say, "I have some gapes, pease?" Now, he says, "I have some grapes, pease?"

Quick side note: Biscuit has his R's but is still missing his L's. We were riding down the road one day a while back, and he said, "Look, Mom. I see a big fag!"

WHAT?!?!?!?!? It took me a minute to figure out that he was talking about the big American flag flying over a gas station on the corner. Today was Flag Day, and the Fourth of July is coming soon, which means all the stores have red, white and blue patriotic flag-laden trinkets everywhere. And of course, Biscuit feels the need to ride around in the buggy saying, "Look, Mom. A fag. There's a fag." Which means that I have to say, louder than him, "YES. THAT'S A FLAG. A FLLLLLLLAG."

Anyway, Biscuit was talking to my brother on the phone the other day, and he said, "No, Uncle Greg!" He's been saying "Uncle Geg" for so long, that it really caught me off guard.

But then it occurred to me that if Biscuit could say "grapes" and "Greg," he should be able to say "Griffin," too. But when people ask him his name, he's still been saying "I Giffin."

So last night, we practiced pronouncing his name. He argued with me at first, but then he started to get it. Then this evening, I gave Jeff a signal, and he asked Biscuit to say his name. Biscuit said, "I Griffin Sterling Mills." He said it right.

I know I should be excited about it, and I am, but I'm also a little sad because it's yet another thing that moves him toward being a boy instead of a baby.

The day that "I have milk, pease? Can me? Can me?" becomes "Can I have milk, please? Can I? Can I?" might be the day I have to cry for a while!