Our First Crush

There was a girl.... Isn't that how it always starts? I can't believe I'm already starting a statement about my own child that way. But...well, there is this girl...in John's preschool class, named Cristina. She's positively charming and adorable. She was in his class last year and this year and John has been buddies with her all year, but it seems to have stepped up a notch or two over the last couple of months. They're inseparable now, holding hands, hugging, making pictures for each other, and even professing love and planning marriage! It's so sweet. They both have been known to cry and moan for the other when they're apart and awaken before they should in the morning if it's a day when they'll be seeing each other before school. Don't get me wrong, they're not a mushy-gushy-in-love kind of pair. But they are definitely more than the buddies they used to be. They play very well together, are interested in similar things and also respect each other's divergent interests too. They're pretty good about including other kids in their play, but they will also stick together when they're ready to move onto other activities.

The hardest part for me is that this all has developed at the end of the school year. We're a little over a week away from the last day of school. And while they do have a school picnic the following week, their class time together is coming to a close. It's kind of sad for me to think about it. But the positive thing is that Cristina's younger brother will be in Kara's preschool class next year. So our contact with her family is guaranteed to continue and hopefully we'll be able to keep them connected in some way. I can't imagine the relationship will stay at this intensity for long after school's over, but it is good to know that it won't entirely fade away either.

My little boy's growing up. Sometimes it's good, sometimes it's scary, and sometimes it's just too darn sweet. Thank you Cristina for seeing the good in my son and being such a good friend to him. He loves you too.