Meet Squish

For the sake of privacy, and because I think it's cute...and because it drives my kids nuts, I don't use their real names online.  All their nicknames refer to their birth stories...it's a "Mom" thing.

This is my oldest child, who I call "Squish" because he got stuck on his way into the world.  We also call him "The Professor" because the kid is a walking encyclopedia when it comes to science (thank you Mythbusters).

Squish is entering into that wonderfully horrible stage of life that we refer to as adolescence...already the massive growth spurts, moodiness, and back-talking have started...to where I am starting to think that eye-rolling needs to be an Olympic sport.  He's a good kid though and still lets me kiss him good-bye at the bus stop in the mornings...for now...and only when I haven't walked out there in my ratty bathrobe.

It was at the bus stop this morning that I realized how soon we're going to have to close the door on Squish's childhood years and embark into young-adulthood.  I wasn't paying attention to where I was going and bumped into the back of his head...with my mouth.  After the "ouch" moment and making sure I hadn't hurt him it dawned on me, my child comes up to my mouth now.  My little boy is now only about five inches shorter than me.  When did this happen?

This picture was taken last Spring, when he was about three inches shorter than his current height (seriously, do they put Miracle Gro in the school lunches?).  As a rule he hates having his picture taken and the only way I even got this smirk was to pop up from behind my camera and make a goofy face.  Really he just wanted to get it over with because he was convinced one of his sisters was messing up whatever video game he'd been playing, but I'm glad I got it nonetheless.

I need to hurry up and take some more of him before it requires a step ladder.