The Last Day

Tweet

He woke me up early, foot in my face.  Our 4 year old had climbed into bed with us again.  I was tired and not looking forward to the day.  Maybe I just woke up on the wrong side of the bed, or maybe it was just weeks of tiredness catching up with me, but I knew I would need coffee this morning.

As my husband took our older son to school, I was left home with Jaden, wondering what we would do all day.  You see, on the days when he is not in preschool, those can be some of the longest days.  It's not that I don't enjoy being with him; I am so thankful for each day I can stay home with him, but he is one child who does not like to play alone.  On the days he is home, I can't get anything done.

I sit at the breakfast table, still waking up, hair all a mess and not saying much.  He jumps up and down and says, "Today is my fun day, mommy!"  I smile, but inside I am thinking of the many things I have to do.  Today is the day I need to clean my office, balance the checkbook, make 4 phone calls, schedule the carpet cleaning, run 2 errands, and so much more. I sigh.

"Play Legos with me, mommy!"  It has begun.  I'm not a very good Lego builder, and the office is calling my name.  I think about it for awhile, sipping my coffee slowly.  I watch him play, waiting for me.  Then it hits me - today is a special day.

Today is the day he is 4 years, 323 days old.  Never again will he be 4 years, 323 days old.  Today is the last day he will be 4 years, 323 days old.

Next month he turns 5. He will never again be 4 years, 323 days old.

In September he starts Kindergarten. He will be gone 5 days a week, 6 hours a day.  I will miss him so much.  I will miss his hugs, his kisses, his laughter.  The house will be too quiet, and I will cry.

He will never again be 4 years, 323 days old.

Next April, he will be ending 1st grade.  He will start to need me a little less.  I will miss him so much.  He is getting bigger.

He is growing fast, and each day he is slipping a little farther away.

Today is a special day, because he is 4 years, 323 days old.  This is the last day he will be that old.

So we play Legos.

Then he wants to play baseball in the back yard.

The office calls my name, but I ignore it.

He asks if we can go to the park to play ball, since he can't hit the hard balls in our backyard.  He gets so excited that I find him sitting in the car, all buckled up.

We play baseball at the park, where he exclaims, "You don't pitch very well, mommy!"

We drive home, and he says, "Ask me my high/low, mommy!"  I ask him and he says, "My high was playing baseball at home, and then at the park with you, and then having snack.  My low was eating breakfast."

I'm glad I was a part of his "high" today, because the day is not even half over.  For the past 4 hours, we played together, because today is a special day.  Today is the day he is 4 years, 323 days old.

We will go on to play more today, and the office will have to wait.

For he will go back to preschool in just a few days, but today he is with me.  Happy 4 year, 323rd day of your birth, special boy.