Mommy's Big Boy!

OK, so this probably won't seem like anything to anyone but me, but I'm so jazzed over it, I had to post. First, Jake had a rough night last night. Basically, I slept (on and off) in his room from 1:45 a.m. to 4 a.m. But, after I went back to bed I slept until the alarm woke me at 5:30. As usual, I rolled out of bed and tiptoed into the kitchen and toward Jake's room to close his door so I could get his backpack ready for school today. I assume he's asleep because when he wakes up he has always, since the day he got his bed, come to get me the second his eyes open. But not this morning! As I entered the kitchen I noticed that there was more light than there should be (I know, a lot of you are thinking there shouldn't be ANY light at 5:30 a.m. but that's beside the point). I found Jake sitting on his bed with his reading light on reading books! He informed me that he had "read" Meatballs (Cloudy With A Chance Of) and was now reading Terrible Day (as in Alexander and the). I sat with him while he flipped through Alexander and commented on what was going on in the pictures. He remembers from all the times we've read it what the story line is at any given random point. He also has favorite parts of the pictures that should be commented on (where the kitty is sleeping and how said cat may have attained that position, for instance). It was so cute and, frankly after keeping me up half the night he owed me, but also a little bittersweet to see him continually grow in his independence. He's speaking in clear sentences and even showing some empathy (eg. last night's comment when told Dippy wasn't going to get ice cream with us "So sad, Dippy. No ice cream for you."). He's growing up so fast but he's growing into such a wonderful young man that how can I be sad? Still, somehow I manage a few tears, both sadness and pride, as I watch my baby drop away like a thin cocoon and the beautiful young man emerge and take flight.