Big Foot

We just bought Drew a new pair of shoes, and somewhere in between the Nike & the Converse isles I shed a few tears.  I kept it from breaking out into the ugly cry, but I just couldn't hold it all in.  For the first time, I bought my little boy a pair of shoes the same size as my own.  (Sniffle, sniffle.)  I was unprepared for the event.  He told me his shoes hurt his feet, but I thought he just didn't like his shoes anymore.  He goes through fashion phases quickly and what he thinks is cool one week is so little-kid the next week, so I might have, just maybe ignored him for a little bit.  He walked in wearing a size three, and strutted out wearing a size five and a huge grin.  (Ok, maybe I ignored him a little too long, but I'm choosing to believe that he had a massive growth spurt last night)  My little boy is no longer a little boy.  I knew it would happen.  I love that it's happening.  I love watching him grow and learn and change, but does it have to happen so quickly?  I just feel like I need to stop time for a moment so I can catch up.  This is the part of parenting that I never imagined... every joy falling in the shadow of the heartbreak of knowing you can never reclaim those moments.  Today, staring at a wall of orange shoe boxes and my kiddo's wiggly toes... today held a little moment that I will always remember.