Son Up to Son Down

“That, my dear, is the last time you will get that picture.”

This is the text message I received from my mom after I had sent her a photo of my oldest talking to Santa at the fire hall. In the photo, he’s giving him a bit of a side-eye and the gap between him and Santa is the widest it has ever been. Each year, he tends to scoot a little further away and it feels like every inch he moves away from Santa is one inch closer to his childhood being over.

I still remember his first Christmas. He was nine months old, chubby and smiley. He was our first so of course he was showered with gifts from us, his grandparents and aunts and uncles. Obviously, at that age he had no concept of Santa, but it was magical for us as parents anyway. As he grew up and began to understand “The Big Guy” it became so much more fun.

Each year, he has asked Santa for some kind of toy. We’ve run the course of LEGO, action figures, light sabers and Nerf Guns. But this year, he didn’t ask for a toy. He asked for a jersey and a duffle bag for his sports equipment. When I heard him ask for these things, I felt my heart drop a little bit. My baby boy is never going to ask for toys again. We’ve moved into a new phase of life with him and while there are so many great things about this new phase, it also breaks my heart a little bit.

It goes by fast. As cliché as that sounds, it’s the truest thing I have ever heard and felt. One Christmas they are taking their first steps, pulling ornaments off the tree and giggling when you give them raspberries on their chunky baby legs. Before you know it, they are on the cusp of being too cool for Santa and ditching you at the fire hall to go run amuck with their buddies. Keep the magic going, take your kids to see Saint Nick and snap that photo as long as they will let you because someday soon it will be the last time you get it.

Wishing you and yours a wonderful Christmas full of cherished memories!