Off the subject again!

January 11, 2006

The pace of life gets faster and faster as our kids grow up. I looked

back to see what I had written on the list serve last year on Jon's

birthday only to find out that it was two years ago that I put you all

to sleep with my sappy recollections of raising my RSS child. Well

I'm back again but this time feeling that he is no longer a child but

a quickly maturing young man. So here goes my birthday tribute:

Jon who today turned 11 asked me to lay with him as he tried to stay

awake so his birthday would not end. I held him in my arms much like

I had done 11 years ago(except he's MUCH bigger now). I shared with

him how excited I was to hold him that first night and what a

beautiful baby his was. Then much like every other mom I tried to

tell him of all the great memories I had of him growing up.

Unfortunately the memories were not all happy ones and some brought

tears to my eyes. Although the details of his childhood seem less

vivid to me now, there is still a place in my heart that stores the

tears I shed for him and with him.

However, life is different now. Jon has grown to be an independent

pre-teen (his word, not mine)who enjoys his friends, loves his little

brother and shares his great personality with everyone. His forced

feedings of old have changed into a love of great restaurants. The

sweaty head of my infant is now covered with hair that is a little

longer than his dad approves of. He no longer falls down and bumps

his head, but runs with great speed across the soccer field to slide

tackle boys twice his size. Trips to New York to see Dr. Harbison now

include our favorite restaurants, ESPN Zone, staying in Time Square

and catching at least one " fast-paced " musical. His clothes are still

to big on him but now " it's the style " . Nightly shots are as common

as brushing his teeth (well maybe the shots happen more than the

brushing). Comments of " Wow he's gotten so tall " have replaced the

much heard of comment of " How old is he? " .

I would not trade my last 11 years for anything. Many of you on this

list serve have contributed in so many ways to our lives and we are

forever grateful. I hope that each of you this week, especially those

parents with little ones will be able to get a glimpse of the future.

Each of our children have the potential to be " bigger " than their

circumstances. I pray that a vision of tommorrow will carry you

through what seems like overwhelming todays.

Pattie Warren

Jon Warren 11 years old

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