Time and Bitty

It's Fall. I love this season - allergies and all. But this year it's especially poignant because I'm privileged to be in charge of the last grandchild not yet in school. Yes, I'm that old, but don't tell my inner child, she thinks we're still in our teens.

Bitty is three. He wants to go to school like his Mama, the teacher, and his two big brothers and big sister. On the other hand, he loves being the only one let out of the car at Audie's house in the cool-dark of predawn each weekday morning. Makes him feel oo-oo special (that's super-special in Bitty speak).

He has a slight speech imperfection if you hadn't noticed. We think he's simply imitating his older brother, Dawson, who has a major speech imperfection. They both call their Grandpa, Ah-ha. Do you see the pattern? Audie is Granny, Ah-ha is Grandpa. There is a technical name for this problem, leaving off the front sounds of words, I believe it's called Apraxia. It seems to be inherited. We'll blame it on Ah-ha.

I can't believe time has gone by so quickly that out of the four grandchildren who live nearby, this is going to be my last school year to keep one at home. Technically, he could go to preschool, he actually attends a speech class there twice a week, but I'm going to be selfish. I'm going to keep him with me so we can play and take walks and gather acorns and pine cones, read books and collect tiny black beetles and have paper airplane wars. It may be our last chance to act like children before the world gets us in its immutable grasp.

Afterthought: Thank goodness he's such a good napper. I wrote this while he was sleeping. Now, on to my book.