the 'needs to know' list

I was pulling the wagon behind him as I watched him ride his brother's scooter on the way to the park; his head was down in determination, his helmet on slightly crooked, pretty sure he had his tongue sticking out (because.. I don't know, he's like a dog and likes to feel the breeze perhaps). I was thinking 'when did he get so fast on that thing?'

He stopped at the curb to look for cars and told me 'there are new friends at the park, I'm going to be shy'. Which he wasn't, of course.

He climbed up the rock climbing wall faster with each try, knowing that Winter had made you a little rusty, but you continued up the wall and down the slide, repeat over and over.

Your figure even looks all boy, no longer in diapers, you are missing that everyday diaper sag. You are tall and thin, just like your Dad (though he prefers to call it an athletic build).

Then we go to the gym, where you and your brother peel off your shoes and jackets and slam the door in my face without looking behind you. You will probably chase after kids (watch tv), play dolls with the girls (watch more tv) and play hide-n-seek with the big kids (and dang it, you watch more tv: why do they have that stupid thing on all day, don't they know by nature kids will watch a tv that's on no matter what is on).

I picked you up where the babysitter tells me you wanted to know if she had candy in her mouth and she told you 'it's like an earring for my tongue'. You looked at her in all the seriousness that you can muster at 2 years old and tell her 'I'm going to get one of those for my Mommy's birthday'.

I hadn't really planned on you knowing what a tongue ring was this young in life. Thank you.

Just one more thing to check off that 'needs to know' list.