Transitions

Little Joe was such a beautiful baby with tiny little rosebud lips. He cried a lot and was a tempermental toddler. He talked late, but had a lovely singsong way of speaking. He was so chubby. I loved the little words he used, like "hostipal" and "bistic". He liked to hold my hand. We always thought he'd be a perpetual soprano. But he's not any more. He's 16 now, much taller than I am, and hasn't got an ounce of fat on his long body!
This past week, I have taken Little Joe out driving. With him behind the wheel. Yikes! I love his combination of teenage boy bravado and anxiety. So sweet! We practiced in a industrial "park" last Sunday and saw nary a car on the road - just right for a first timer. Today, however, we hit the traffic. I had Little Joe drive to Costco, the weekend destination of half our city's population! I must say that he did very well.
In our province, learners must have a big red L in the back of the car and new drivers like Little Bear have a green N. Of course, everyone knows what they really stand for. Loser and Nerd! I guess it helps everyone to know which cars to avoid following.
This is a definite time of transition. I'm going from driving children to children driving. I'm not quite sure how I feel about it. Most of the time, it's fun and exciting (except when it's midnight and they're out with the car). I like seeing the two of them go off for an adventure together, and the conversations and jokes we share now are so much fun. But then there are moments... Like the time I was grocery shopping and I saw a young mum with her baby and toddler in the shopping cart. All of a sudden, I was fighting back the tears. I'll never be that again. Sometimes it feels like grief to leave behind different stages of my life. And theirs.