Baby Mine

The other night, I wandered up to my ten-year-old son's room at bedtime. 

He was settling into bed, and I lay down next to him for a few minutes.  We chatted for a few minutes, my mother's heart full of quiet joy at the sweet moment with my son.  My mind wandered to the days when he was a newborn, just over six pounds.  In those day, when he lay on the bed next to me, he curled into a tiny little peanut, burrowed tightly up against me.  But now his long, lanky form takes up almost as much space on the bed as I do.

I thought about these things with a sigh, and I reached over and brushed my fingers across his hair.

And then he tooted.

I mean, tooted.  The kind of mattress-rattling honk that almost lifted the covers a little. 

And we laughed together until our sides hurt, snorting and tossing each other a high five. 

I loved that little baby, but oh, how I love the young man.

Comments

[Lisa]

Oh - that's great! Similar to my post today about a mother/son moment, and now that you mention it, there may have been a toot involved that I neglected to mention! :)

[Overwhelmed With Joy!]

Love this post! My son is almost 3 1/2 years old. I loved his baby stages but I'm sure enjoying his sweet nature and sharp wit that comes with being a 3 year old. I'm excited to spend time with him as a young man too...toots and all! :)

[Kathy]

Oh, I so totally and completely hear you. My 9 yo was under 7 lbs at birth (6 lbs 12 1/2 oz) and slept close to my hear and nursed till almost 3. I remember holding him in my arms somewhat uncomfortably when I was pregnant with his little brother. He still likes when I hold him but the toots and BO since he CANNOT wash himself without help even though he's a big boy make me love him more and more on a daily basis. He's not a baby but he's *my* baby

[Kim N]

Oh, that was great! Next time one of my kids toots while snuggling under the covers with me I will try to remember to laugh instead of gag.

[Sue]

My son wanted me to lie down with him at bedtime tonight, and he fell asleep with one hand on my cheek and the other curled around my wrist.

He MUST stay the age he is, forever. I can't bear the thought of him ever, ever growing up.

[Sue]

Oops, hit post too soon. ANYWAY. He is three. Which makes me wonder - will every age be the sweetest and the best?

[Stretch Mark Mama]

Is it possible to get the children BACK in the womb? I just want their babyness back for a couple of hours.

Minus all the screaming, of course.

Like that stopped. Ha.

[mod*mom]

when my daughter was 2 days old in the hospital, we went to a babycare class + she tooted as loud as a grown adult. it was surprising for a newborn baby :)

[Lightening]

Isn't that in between age so special. Our 10 year old is getting more independent by the day. And yet he still LOVES his night-time tuck in by mum and dad. I'm trying to treasure the moments together because I know it won't be long and he'll be gone. I looked at him the other day and his face is changing. You can see a hint of a man forming in his boyish looks. It's unreal.

[Kim]

I couldn't agree more! My little boy is no longer a little boy but a pre teen! I miss the little boy, but when I look at the young man I smile at who he is becoming!

[amyh]

Oh, that's funny, Shannon. I have 7 year old and 4 year old boys and I can so appreciate that post.

[kristen]

My DS is 11 and I can so relate to those Mommy heartstrings being tugged. But I gotta say I love just being around my guy at this age!

[Laurie in TN]

So you have a "King Toot" in your house, too. I love mine, also! And he is 25. . .enjoy him while you can for they grow up too fast.

[Elizabeth]

That's how we always know that our 11 year old is officially awake in the morning!

[Becky Jo]

Gotta love the moments like that!

[Jo-Lynne]

HI-larious. Aren't boys great?

[Fran]

As a momma to 3 darling boys...we do that all the time. Isn't it the best?? :)

Blessings Shannon,
Fran

[Lori]

Oh the stages! I love stories like that! I recently decided within my own heart that I was going to enjoy my two right where they are at...I do miss those itty-bitty days, but I really enjoy these days!!!
Blessings~

[Crystal]

My daughter and I shared a similar moment just last night - my husband can't believe that girls can exude such things!! But she and I had a good laugh and nose plug over ours as well! Thanks for bringing another smile to my face.

[Edi]

A couple of weeks ago at a mtg at camp, after a few nights of staying up way too late - my daughter was sitting next to me and said she was cold. I picked her up and held her. After about 10 min her head banged against me and she was asleep.

I eventually got her into the holding a sleeping baby position - and it was a tender moment. Here she is almost 9 and yet sometimes she still needs her mama to hold her...doesn't happen often.

[Hallie]

Why, oh why, is farting so funny? I just don't get it yet we all laugh!

Hallie
http://wonderfulworldofweiners.blogspot.com/

[The (Almost) Amazing Mammarino]

I loved this post! My son (age 5) is master of the silent-but-violent type of toots. When we are snuggling and enjoying a book together, we suddenly starts giggling and that old familiar smell comes wafting through the air. Then he stands up and sticks his tushie in my face! Gotta love boys!

[Lizz @ Yes, and So is My Heart]

Too funny. My 2-year-old likes to cuddle with me, and then at just the right moment, he leans over uses my shirt as a tissue for his snotty little nose. Boys!

[Mandy]

That is so stinkin funny. Makes me think of my five year old. She was 7 pounds but teeny tiny and still is. But boy does she make up for it in personality.

[Teri]

They grow up fast but they never quite outgrow the bodily sounds. When my second son married, unknown to me, he had decided no one was escorting his mother down the aisle but him. He & his future wife worked it out with the pastor & the ushers. So while Celine Dion's "For All Those Times You Stood By Me" was playing, he left the front of the church & made it back to where I was. I was ready to bust out in tears when he reached down & whispered in my ear, "Now wouldn't be a good time to let one rip would it?". I giggled the whole way down the aisle. BTW, I told him he was right, that was not the appropriate time. He's now the daddy of two & his little guy is the exact same way he is. Gassy.

[Elizabeth]

Awesome!

[Tonni]

My 4 year old son would think this was great!!!

[Judy]

I love nights like this - fleeting and few, but oh so precious (toots and all).

[rrmama]

OH MY GOSH! I am laughing so hard tears are coming out of my eyes, this is so totally my house. My boys do this too. The oldest one also burps so loud and strong it would peal the paint off your walls. Don't you love mom and son moments like these?

[Karen {Simply A Musing Blog}]

That. was. hilarious.

My son is only 5-1/2 and I am so thankful he still loves to cuddle with me. Hard is the day going to be when he decides he's too cool to hang with mom. But it's coming, I know it is.

[Loretta]

We've had those moments in our house. Moments when I'm staring at them wistfully, wondering where my baby went, and then they burp or toot and burst into laughter. And then I think it's the laughter that is constant. Ever since they were babies they've had these deep, body shaking laughs. Laughter and love are the threads that tie the baby to the child to the teenager to the man I hope they will be.

[Good&Crazy]

Amen to this one Sister! I had two girls first and my little boy is just so. much. more. fun. than the girls. He's so stinkin' funny. And of course, farts...he loves 'em, and burps, and potty talk, and...

[Jenn]

Gosh, what's wrong with me - your post has me in tears - what a wonderful moment - captured forever in your heart!

[Jaime Chase]

This was an awesome entry to read this morning!

Thanks for making me laugh!

[Kristi]

How funny. I love those special times when Noah and I are lying on his bed talking. Sometimes, my hubby and I argue over who gets to put Noah to bed because it is such a joy. I know Aaron will be old enough soon to be fun at bedtime too.

[Angela]

Oh, that was great! Gave me a good belly chuckle on this busy morning!

[Jennifer (Et Tu?)]

What a hilarious, touching post. Thank you for sharing.

[Mrs. Bick]

Glad I wasn't drinking something when I read this! I laughed so hard. My children are just like this, so I could really appreciate the story! Thanks for a great laugh!

[Marie]

I love those quiet moments at night. My son will not go to sleep until we have prayers and talk about our day.

[Connie]

I laughed out loud at that and now I am crying thinking of my little boy growing up to make big toots!

[World's Greatest Mommy]

So true. Although I'm not eager for them to grow up, watching them become who and what they will be is a singularly blessed gift. Even when it involves gas...

[di]

My girl is graduating out of elementary school and my boy is graduating out of jr high. I've really been feeling the love of the teenagers lately. I mean, I really miss when they were young, but these years are just as precious.

[Bethany]

Ah. Life with boys in the house! Funny!

[Emily]

This little story makes me think that maybe someday I might just decide I could live with a man. Like forever. And be all grown up and married so we can have boys that toot.

[Jennifer]

That is hilarious! thank you for sharing that "sentimental" moment with us! Sounds like something my son would do! :)

[tiffany McGuigan]

What a special time for you guys to have! Just mother and son talking about things.

[April]

It's even better when you're giving your husband that dreamy "oh-how-I-love-you" look and then he rips one.

[Stephanie]

Oh that is so funny! Leave it to kids to ruin the moment :)

[We are THAT family]

That's hilarious and so predictable of boys and who am I kidding, men!!

I've been amazed the past few months watching my son morph from little boy to big boy. It just kills a Momma!

But his sense of humor has grown too and I'm laughing more everyday!

[Linda]

This has to be one of my favorite posts OF ALL TIME. Boy can I identify and I loved it!

[franticallysimple]

Ha ha ha! My seven year old daughter loves to point her toots at her dad.
Good times...

[Linda]

This one goes down as my favorite post EVER!

[Tina]

When I started reading this story I was like "oh that's such a nice mom son story" I really didn't see the toot coming.Thanks for the laugh.

It's funny how much gas a little boy can hold well they don't actually hold it in do they?

[Sarah @ Short Stop]

I had a tear hanging on by one bottom eyelash and then saw "tooted". The tear retreated and I burst into laughter.

Loved this post.

[Elaine]

That's funny, we call it "tooting" around here too and my son loves to do it these days, lemme tell ya! He's so proud of himself and he thinks it's even funnier when his baby brother busts out with one. Oh the joys of raising boys! : )

[Kristenkj]

My goodness, that sounds just like my boy. :)

[[email protected]]

Ok, that is funny. Here in our testosterone driven household they have competitions! It gets a bid scary at times!!!

[Laura]

This was excellent! Too funny! I couldn't help but laugh out loud.

[Cheryl]

Nothing warms the heart (or the mattress) like a sturdy boy toot! I could hear the soundtrack to your post...loved it.
(And now that lilting "Baby Mine" is cycling through my head...love that song.)

[Cheryl]

Nothing warms the heart (and the mattress) quite like a sturdy big boy toot! Your post had an easily imagined laughter soundtrack with a poot punctuation...loved it.
(Plus "Baby Mine" is one of my favorite lullabies ever...you tied this one up with a bow!)

[Cheryl]

Forgive the doubling...got an "error" message first go round!

[Tiffany]

As a mother of 5 boys plus dad,I have heard (and, uh, smelled...) my share of "toots". It may as well be a second language.Gracious! But if you want to spend time with them, there's gonna be lots of spider barks.

And they say bovine flatulation adds to global warming!

[Jackie Sue]

Classic funny....precious!

[[email protected]]

Oh, that is such a boy thing. I ask my husband all the time "IS THIS NORMAL???" He just smiles and nods. I am so outnumbered in the house...

[Melanie]

Boys and bodily sounds go hand in hand. Mine hasn't been keeping his mouth closed in the pool and he's swallowing a lot of air. He's tooting and letting out these huge walrus burps but at least he remembers to say excuse me.

[Lysa TerKeurst]

Oh my stars...

I love writing with unexpected twists...

or should I say toots.

Oh that made me laugh. out loud. really loud.

Can't wait to meet you in person in just a couple of weeks.

But let's leave the toots at home... smiles!

[Deanna]

BEST POST!! I totally relate as I have a son who just turned 11 and this is so like our nighttime chats. Sometimes they are so totally "irreverant", but so much fun!

[genny]

Your post made me cry, then laugh! Thanks!

[Superchikk]

My 9 month old must be ahead of the curve - you can hear the boy rip one across the room. I guess the diaper probably helps create that resonant sound.

Like father, like son. (Not the diapers, the pooting. Thought I should clarify.)

[sandy]

Oh yes, they toot at all ages! Kinda scary when they get older - LOL! It grosses my daughter out :)

[Lori P]

I just took my only boy for his 2 month check up today-this post brought tears to my eyes. By the way, he tooted while we were cuddling today too!

[Alli ~Mrs. Fussypants]

I have a tooting 9 yr old & 2 week old with 3 between them. All boys, all precious.

I needed your post today!

xoxo, alli

[Marybeth]

You just made me laugh and cry all at the same time!
MB :o)

[Mary]

My oldest is 17 and he still thinks it's the funniest thing to toot. I don't think they outgrown it.....sigh.
Love your blog. It was recommended by my sister.
my adhd me

[The Apron Queen]

Oh girl, you're tugging my heart strings. It's funny how my own age does not make me feel old (38 yrs old) but our oldest son's age (21 yrs old) makes me feel incredibly ancient. (Please don't do the math- my husband & I were HS sweethearts!) And just wait until they're 21 & still share their toots with you! :D

For your daily dose of vintage goodness & a bit of silliness, stop by Confessions of an Apron Queen, the home of Vintage Thingies Thursdays.

[Tara R]

thanks for telling this story- it reminds me not to be TOO sad that my little ones are growing up so fast :)

[Heidi]

Great! Thanks for sharing - boys just know how to turn tender moments into side aching stints. It's great!

Heidi

[Megan]

oh that is sooo cute! my baby boys are both under two still. i sometimes feel a little sad thinking about them growing up (it happens too fast, i'm loving this too much!) ... i loved reading this and thinking about the joys that comes in all the stages- :)

[Kevin Grossman]

That is precious. No other way to say it.

[Theresa Locastro]

That was greatness!!!!!! I still can't stop laughing...my eyes are tearing and my cheeks hurt!!

Love, mommy of two GIRLS!!!!!!

[SwordMama]

That is sweet! I hear ya! lol