What Ever Happened To....

Dear Liddy,

I have to admit that lately I have been having some rather strange thoughts. I wonder about the strangest things. I'm not really sure what the reasoning is behind it, but I think it might have something to do with seeing very clearly (possibly for the first time) that Caleb is growing up. And for some reason, I have been imagining what the childhood stories that I loved so dearly would be like if the characters grew from the beloved childhood friends into oh so full of attitude teenagers.

I love Winnie the Pooh. I have read every single tale in the saga. But now I wonder what would have happened to Pooh, Rabbit, Piglet, Owl, Eeyore, Tigger, Kanga and Roo if A.A. Milne had chosen to have Christopher Robin grow up into a sullen teenager. Where would Pooh be without Christopher Robin to save him from his endless parades of bad ideas? Who would attempt to cheer up Eeyore from his gloom and doom attitude? Or help Piglet be not quite so timid and love Tigger despite his huge ego and out of control hyperactivity? What would happen to the Hundred Acre Woods without the very presence that brought it to life? What if Christopher Robin got a mohawk, a nose ring, and became Billy Badass? It could happen, I swear. Overnight.

And all this wondering about Christopher Robin just really makes me curious about the other characters too...Would Fern from Charlotte's Web remain the same sweet, innocent farm girl or would she pack her car with 30 pairs of shoes and her Daddy's credit card and run away to Hollywood to become a star? What about Max from "Where the Wild Things Are"? Would he smoke and drink and chase girls? And that sweet, confused baby bird from "Are You My Mother?". Did his mama kick him out of the nest when he grew from a cute little baby bird to a not so adorable version of himself? Did the kids from the "Cat in the Hat" still try so hard to obey their mother when they got a little older? I'm curious. I can't help it. 

Not that I truly have to deal with any of these worst case scenarios...YET. So far the only problems I have had with your now officially teenage brother are a little attitude, more anti-social behavior and the fact that some days it seems that he lost his mind while he was sleeping. But I have to say that, despite all that, I think we'll keep him anyway. I've kind of grown attached to him. :)

 I wasn't ready for him to grow up. It's a not so subtle reminder that my work with him is almost finished and the time is nearing when I will have to let him fly away from me. And even though that is exactly what I have been preparing for the last 13 years, it still breaks my heart a little. I can't imagine our house without him in it.

One of these days, it's going to be you growing up and changing before my eyes. And I am sure that I will be every bit as sad, frustrated, and filled with absolute awe as I am now when I look at Caleb. But for Mommy's sanity, please don't do it too soon, O.K?

All of my love, 

Mommy