Big Kids

There are so many things that I want to share in this post... and don't even know where to begin.

Thing 1: Jude loves balls. All kinds of balls... different sizes, colors, textures, you name it. Everything that is round, is a ball to him. But not only does he love balls - he loves sports! He won't just watch baseball on TV - he stands in front and swings when he sees a batter and throws when he sees a pitcher. If we're at a restaurant and they have the sports channel on (not very uncommon), he'll shout 'ball!' and basically be glued to the screen.

So, when the kids in the neighborhood are in the middle of the street playing touch football, he's in awe. We have sat on the curb and watched... he's stood on the sidelines with a baseball in hand just waiting for them to pay him any ounce of attention so he can throw it to them... and he's even pretended he was part of the team. Perhaps the best is when the older kids decide to take a short break - and one of them voluntarily plays a little game of catch with him.

It's so fun to watch - specifically because I'm not sure Jude understand that he's younger than them. We recently went to visit Ryan's nephew and it was no different. Ryan and the kids are playing baseball in the backyard and he has no idea that he's 1/2 their size and just a little more fragile. I almost feel bad that we can't just throw him in the game - taking baseballs to the face and being trampled by people two, three or four times his size.

Thing 2: We have a house full of kids across the street. Seven to be exact. The four youngest are all boys. At some point within the last month or two Jude has realized this. We spend a good bit of time in our front yard - picking at flower beds, writing with sidewalk chalk, etc. When these little boys poke their heads outside, Jude is practically pulling me across the street!

For quite some time he's been interested in other kids. At first he's typically a bit shy and needs a little encouragement, but after a little coaxing he's right in trying to be one of the kids. You'd think the fact that his vocabulary is only so extensive, his motor skills are only so tuned and his strength only so grand, would hold him back, but it doesn't at all.

With the boys across the street, it was no different. The first day he really took notice of them, he would stand on the edge of our grass just watching them play. Finally, I asked if he wanted to go play with them. He did. He gathered a couple of toys that I can only imagine he thought they'd really like and had me follow him across the street. Every few steps he'd turn around to make sure I was still there, but still he had a beaming grin on his face. Of course once we got to the top of the hill leading to their house, he clammed up - I had to introduce him to the boys and encourage him that it was OK to play. It didn't take him long to open up and just romp around. I'm pretty sure the two youngest boys (twins - 4 years old) took just as much of a liking to Jude as he took to them.

Since our first trip over, it's hard to get outside if they are, without making a trip across the street - arms full of various toys to share. It's so fun to watch him run around and explore. It's so cute to imagine that one day, these kids will probably be his friends - not just kids that he sees and wants to play with because other kids are interesting, but legitimate friends.

I'm pretty sure their older sister put it in the best words. We were talking about the neighborhood pool and whether or not my family would be joining this year. She began to basically try and convince me to join with details of how the pool staff brings out blenders on Saturday nights full of frozen cocktails. How the kids make new summer friends - friends they strut around with all summer long creating little 'crews' separated by age. Basically telling me it's more than a pool, it's a community. She chose that second to look over at her little brothers playing with Jude and smiled. She said "one day - these little guys are going to be a crew of their own". I practically teared up. She's right. One day my baby, my toddler will no longer be a baby or a toddler - he'll be a big kid. A kid who leaves in the morning on his bike and hesitantly comes home with the street lights come on. A kid who's too busy and comfortable with his friends to care whether I'm following behind him for security. A kid with a crazy imagination and crew of friends to go along with it.

I can't help but think he's already half way there...