I can imagine my eventual demise.
Lukas will be in his late 20's or early 30's and I'll be walking past the leather easy chair that resides in our living room when I'll look over at him mid-flight as he is headed towards me, and it will finally cross my mind that he is a wee bit too big for me to carry to his bed. And as I am distracted by this thought for the slightest of moments, I will be unprepared as he is landing in my arms. As a result, I will fall backwards and be crushed to death as he lands on me full force.
I can honestly say I can imagine this, because it went through my head not 30 minutes ago as I carried my now 6 year old up the stairs to bed, his arms in a Monkey hug around my neck. He had just, in fact, jumped into my arms moments earlier from the same leather easy chair as I passed by pretending not to notice as he leapt at me. Of course, I caught him in stride and kept walking before giving a mock look of surprise to find him there in my arms.
It's a game we play.
Only this time his jump and eventual land in my arms came with a particularly heavy thud. It was this thud that caused me to imagine being crushed to death decades in the future. That's because this ritual is one of my favorite parts of the day and I just can't imagine ever giving it up. Certainly not now, and the top of his head already reaches up to my sternum.
Lukas is my oldest, so this is new ground for me. I wonder how long I can keep this up.
How long can I hold on to little snippets of his youth - like this one? How long can I reasonably carry my always growing son up that flight of stairs? Will I tightly hold onto this wonderful slice of nightly joy until it eventually crushes me to death?
Probably not. I'm fairly certain Lukas will decide at some point that he is too big to be carried to his bed by his father. I don't want that to be anytime soon though. Although he IS getting fairly heavy, it's a great leg workout climbing a flight of stairs with a 50lb weight strapped around your neck. Plus, it's a great bonding moment for both of us, after our respective long days at work and school.
In fact, I'll bet any amount of money right now that he will decide to end our nightly routine before I do.
As sad as I will be when that comes to pass, I suppose it would actually be for the best.
Because, in all seriousness I don't imagine getting crushed to death by your 30 year old son would be a pleasant way to go.
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In a way, this is one of the things about having more than one kid that helps us as parents. We are forced to not only differentiate ages and stages in our kids but in ourselves. Because one is as a different stage in development or grade in school the same rule for one does not necessarily apply to the other.
I have seen the eventual end for me the Dad as well in a few years. I am just keeping in shape for when grandkids need the extra special play time.
@PPMD - I think by the time Lukas is 20 then Annabelle will be 15 and jumping into my arms from the chair too. I'm doomed.
@Slamdunk - Being a Grandparent seems like a world away to me. Probably the kids (and my) age.
All good things do unfortunately come to an end.
But there is the grand kids to look forward to, and trust me they are way fun. You can candy them up and send them home for the parents to deal with.
I'm imaging your son, home from a college break, hiding behind a door waiting to pounce and land in your arms.
And imagine how embarrassed HE'D be to have to tell people he crushed his dad to death. Really, that stuff's hard to live down.
My daughter weighs 34 pounds. I think I'll need to start pruning her like a Bonzai tree to make sure I can always handle her.
My son is 13 and weighs a bit more than 100 pounds. I carried him to bed a while back.
He was sick and fell asleep on the couch so I thought he might sleep better in his own bed.
But between you and me I did it because the window of time in which I can carry him is closing.
@Autism United - I'll have to remember that. Although it will be a long time off for me. Thanks for the visit.
@Neal - He would laugh about it all the way....until the time he crushed me, of course.
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