just me and my shadow

It's crazy how fast it came in the end.

The glorious days of summer felt endless back in June.  I don't know exactly how it happened, but I'm quite certain that month lasted well beyond the 30 days it showed on the calendar.  For some reason though, July didn't seem quite so long and leisurely.  And August?  It was only about nine days long ~ or at least that's how it felt.

I had looked forward all summer to our annual trip to the beach, it is a blessed week of family bonding time.  With nothing but spending time together on our agenda, we all reconnect by the end.

Yet I dreaded it at the same time.  Dumb as that sounds, it's true.

Because I knew that our week at Sunset would fly by and then there would be only one week left before it was down to just me and my shadow at home during the days.

And I wasn't exactly sure how either one of us was going to feel about not having the constant chatter and companionship of the rest of our merry band.

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Many have been asking how the little one is taking his new position as "the only" for a chunk of the day.

On the morning of "the twins'" assessment day, I wasn't real sure how he was going to take it.  I carried him up one of the big hills that we climb and as I held him close, he said, "Hey Mommy.  Caleb packpack?"

"Yes sweetie, Caleb has his backpack today."

"Darcy packpack?"

"Yes baby, Darcy has her backpack today too.  Remember, Darcy and Caleb are going to stay at school all day today like Kylie."

He immediately got a shocked look on his face, pushed himself as far back from me as he could without falling, and said, "What you saying Mommy?"

At that moment I was worried.  What was he going to think/feel when we returned home alone?

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I need not have worried.

As soon as we got home, my shadow was in his element.  He had me, all to himself, all day long and he LOVED it.

Now, does he miss his siblings during the day?

Sure.

Does he ask about them a zillion times a day?

Yep.

Is he excited to go pick them up in the afternoons?

Yes.

But is he enjoying, absolutely relishing, his time of being my only focus.

Oh yeah!

Now my little guy has been Mama's boy from the start.  But in the new rhythm of days with just the two of us that we've found, we've become ~ if possible ~ even closer.  We play, we grocery shop, we do museums, we tell lots of ridiculous knock knock jokes, we take walks and we ride bikes.  We have play dates with friends, we take a long time over lunch, we build block castles and we create lego spaceships.   It seems that we're always on the move except for one quiet time of the day.  And just for this special time we've developed a new ritual.

We read a few books, tell a few jokes, give big hugs and sweet kisses and then exchange a little saying.

"I love you little one Daniel."

"And I love you big one Mommy."

And then many days, I lay down beside him and snuggle up.

With a face that cute, how can I resist?