Dear Son, You’ll always be my little boy,

Dear Son,

Today I wish I could go back. I wish I could go back and hold you as an infant. I wish I could smell your skin and rock you just a little longer. I wish I could be still and feel that moment just one more time.

When I look at pictures of you in your toddler years with your round cheeks and pudgy hands, I smile. Inside my heart breaks a little bit because I wish I could squeeze you as you ask me a billion questions in your tiny voice, just one more time.

You’re laying on the couch next to me with your giant feet protruding under a fleece blanket and a book in your hands. How and where has this time gone, I think. I can remember when you were just a whisper and a glimmer of a dream. And here you are, this giant boy that will be a man when I blink just a few more times.

You’ve become gifted in the art of rolling your eyes when you disagree, and saying “Mom, just listen to me for a second…”. I’m not always good at listening; I know that. We don’t always agree and sometimes I don’t handle our disagreements very well; I’m working on that.

But no matter what, you’re still my little boy. Even though your hands are bigger than mine; even though I can smell you coming with this brand new gift of B.O; you’re still my little boy.

You’ll be my little boy forever.

When I look back at those days when you were just a dream in my heart or a nine pound baby in my arms…I had no idea. I had no idea the incredible young man you would become. I had no idea how my heart would stretch and grow with every day of being your mom.

I had no idea how proud or in love I would be.

Being your mom has been so much messier than I anticipated. I’ve made so many more mistakes than I thought I would, but I’ve never been more proud of anything I’ve done in my entire life. You have taught me what it is to truly love.

You just got up from your reading and did a little dab and floss when I told you could grab out the video games. I wish I could go back, but I wouldn’t want to miss a second of watching you right now. Raising you has been so much more stretching, but so much better than I ever thought it would be.

No matter how old you get I will always be twenty-one years ahead. It isn’t much, and as you get older it will seem like less, but I will always be your Mama and you will always be my boy. These arms are here for squeezing you; these ears are here for listening to you; and this heart will hold you forever and a day.

Seeing the young man you are is the best, most precious gift I never could have dreamt up.

Sometimes I wish I could go back; but son, you’ll always be my little boy, today and every day.

Love,

Mama

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16 responses to “Dear Son, You’ll always be my little boy,”

  1. Wow Jess, you never fail to impress! You have such a beautiful way with words, spoken from your heart yet as if you are able to read my thoughts and feelings. I know I am not the only person that will feel this way about your writing. As if by magic, they appear at ‘just the right time’. Much love for wonderoak, you give hope and inspiration to so many readers, even if you realise it or not. Happy holidays 🙂

  2. Thank you Catherine!

  3. laura A Powell Avatar
    laura A Powell

    Jess, You capture the heart of all mama’s and their boys. I look at my sons and still see them as my boys. I love them as men but cherish the little boys in my heart. Parenting IS messy. You got that right. It’s thank-less at times and can be heartbreaking…but, I would not trade one moment as a mom over anything else in the world.

  4. ❤️❤️❤️❤️

  5. I. Never had a son,only daighters, but makes me think of them when they were just little girls. Thank you.

  6. This is beautiful.
    I can’t help but wonder, are you prepared to let him go and be the husband he is meant to be, so that his wife can have a husband she deserves?

  7. This is a heartfelt letter of the inside turmoil of watching my son get older. Every stage will require more letting go, but in my heart he will always be my little boy. I don’t plan on having an unhealthy codependent relationship when he’s married lol, if that’s what you mean.

  8. I have 21 years between me and my little boy .. Well, I say little boy. He’s just turned 19. He’s moved out of home to live with his girlfriend at her parents’ house while he attends university. It’s hard. It’s heartbreaking. It’s lonely. It’s incredibly special and amazing and an absolute honour to call myself the mama of this beautiful little boy, this incredible young man. I have nothing but pride and love when I see the adult he has become .. And yet I still wish for those days when I could hold him in my arms, when I was his whole world.
    Trying not to let the tears of nostalgia fall, every bit as much as the tears of pride.
    Thank you.

  9. This brought me to tears as I hold my 7 week old little boy. Trying to cherish every moment as its already going by so quickly. Thanks for the reminder to slow down. 🙂

  10. Simply Kind, loving, and true to every mother’s heart ❤️

  11. I can’t thank you enough for sharing your heart and soul with us. This page has come into my life at just the right time. My son is about to turn 14 and I am realizing I am required to let go of some of the duties I have carried or he just won’t do them himself. But what happens when I do? He does them. He’s growing. And it’s beautiful. Yet somehow sad and scary for me as it is new territory. Your messages bring me comfort. Thank you, again. Hugs.

  12. I’m sitting here with tears in my eyes because I have twin boys and they are about to turn 3. As much I love this fun and sweet age I would give anything to rock them in my arms as infants again. Why do I always feel like I didn’t get enough time in their infant stage! If I could go back I would cherish it even more. I’m a working mom and it really makes you feel sad that they spend so much time in daycare! I always take lots of pictures and keep everything which will be a box full of memories one day! I’m trying my best to soak in their toddler hood before it’s gone!

  13. I lost my son on July 13, 2019 from a motorcycle accident. This blog on “Dear Son, you’ll always will be my little boy” hit home with me. Just recently I received a Facebook memory where he had posted a message to me about his love and respect for me. I printed it (12 pages long). I wouldn’t take a million dollars for that letter. My son suffered with Crohn’s Disease and PTSD, but he never slowed down unless he was in the hospital. He even planned a 500 mile bike ride to support childhood cancer for June 2020.

    A parent is never prepared to loose their child.
    He’ll always be my baby boy for sure! Thank you for sharing this!

    Regards,

    Laura Tweed
    Saint Cloud, FL

  14. Wow, I’m honored you shared that with me. I’m so so sorry for your loss. This post would have been worth writing if it was just for you, I’m so glad you found it.

  15. I am speechless. My little boy would have turned 37 on September 23rd.. but he passed 5 years ago. He was my only child but he was raised to be a true southern gentleman. At his service so many people came up to us and remarked he had such good manners and always had a smile and a great sense of humor. If I have done nothing else in my life I know that I raised a real good man.

  16. Thank you so much for sharing your story, I’m so so sorry for your loss

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