Now this must seem obvious, that at 20 Charlie is a man. But any parent will agree that realizing your baby has somehow become an adult is something else entirely. I can still remember how when we were remodeling our kitchen in Santa Monica, Charlie wore his Little Tikes tool belt everyday so he could be ready to "help out" at the drop of a hat. I still remember so clearly how Charlie could never stay in his seat in Ms. Brown's class at the Mirman School. Or how when Charlie was six, we took him to London and to dinner with one of Ted's partners. That he was able to sit through dinner and not slop his food all over the place was amazing enough. But he was quite the chatty Charlie at dinner. Midway through dinner, when asked what he liked to do, Charlie announced that he loved golf and that he could "hit the ball pretty damn far."
I guess I am a little surprised at how quickly the years have gone.
Now that Charlie is away at school most of the time and so far away in Berlin this term, my time with him is much more limited. Each time I see him it seems as though not only has he grown (yes, he seems taller to me every time I see him), but he seems so much more adult. He is confident and so sure of himself. He knows what he wants (kind of) and is formulating plans to get where he wants to go. He is growing up.
It's killing me.
I am a big talker. I always say that I feel as though I've done a good job every time my kids can walk away from me and not look back. And I do feel like that. It's just that he's really only looking forward and I'm doing all the looking back.
The kitchen countertops is one of probably the most favorite areas of the home by the household members and even visiting friends and relatives.
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