As Baby T gets older I begin to see what his own person he is. To think that over the course of three years he has gone from a cooing baby to a running while talking boy with his own ideas, plans, and personality. I have had to learn to follow him through each phase. And I have somehow overcome the strong urge to hold his hand and guide him. He does just fine on his own but that doesn’t make me not worry. For example, I still cringe on the inside when he wants to go up or down stairs.

He has become quite fond of his friends. During long weekends he begins to talk about his friends at school and comes off as genuinely bored without them for more than a day. This past weekend we went to a community event where he saw one of his little Headstart classmates. Those two were inseparable throughout the day and it was fun to see him off playing while I actually sat down. They ran around and played. They raced wheelbarrow against wagon over and over. They were so cute during lunch when they squished together on a chair and sat there eating their hotdogs quietly.

Since beginning school Baby T has gotten the chance to see his cousins regularly. Before Headstart they went to different daycares so they only got to play during birthday parties or family reunions. I was surprised when I went in for a parent teacher conference during the beginning of the school year and was told they had to be separated. Not for fighting but because the three would only play with each other, eat with each other…and eventually only talk to each other. Except another one of Baby T’s buddies. He has gone to daycare with that friend and when he was moving up the school kept them together because they were the quiet shy kids and younger than the other children. Baby T must have got his friend in with his cousins and the four were now a crew.

I’m not sure if they realize they are cousins. But they sure act like it as if they had been waiting to be put in the same class to hang out. So now when Baby T meets up with one of those buddies he is occupied the entire time. And he is seemingly grateful not to be bothered.

I am curious to see how Baby T and his three buddies act when they’re in big kid school or high school. My guess is that they will probably be separated by classes. Because it’s apparent what they want already. When I was growing up my cousins were always a grade ahead of under me so we didn’t really get to experience that strong bond of friendship I see with the boys. Baby T is so fortunate to have family the same age as him so he can play with them. And I should ease up on worrying about him because he has his family right there looking out for him already.