But He's My Baby

Austin has never shown an interest in girls. I think having two older sisters has kind of turned him off of them until maybe after they move out. He's has said that unless a girl is good at sports, she's worthless. However, I think Anna is changing that.

Austin & Anna have a lot of fun together. They are both 15, and there is lots of giggling, laughing, teasing, playful punching and other innocent flirting type things going on. Hard for mom to see her baby boy acting like a young man. Not sure I'm ready for that.

Their latest game has been "Kushi Ball Wars". We have giant kushi balls (Anna is holding a pink one in the picture) and they toss them at each other, dodge ball style. Then they try to wrestle them away from each other. I sit and smile as I watch them until I snap back into reality...he's my baby!

I stay calm as I remind myself that it's all very innocent and even if it wasn't, she is leaving in 10 days. To go home. Across the entire Atlantic Ocean. So my baby will be safe. Of course, I know there will be others. They will playfully toss balls and other toys at him the way Anna is tossing one at Austin in this picture. She really is adorable and such a sweetheart!

I guess I have to accept the fact that my "baby" is no longer a baby. He is as tall as his dad. He drives. He requires deoderant daily. He shaves. All those things prove that he isn't a baby, no matter how much I wish he still was. No matter how much I long for the days when he'd come up to me dragging his blankey saying "Bock-a-bye mama, bock-a-bye" and we'd sit and rock and rock and rock. I have to get used to the idea that he'll start high school next month. There will be dances, bonfires and teen parties, and yes, there will be girls. *sigh* Ok. I accept it, but I don't have to like it.