Puppy Love

My oldest son is twitterpated.

Big time.

Her name is Emily.

And apparently, she's all he can think about.

For two days, all I've heard is how he wanted to ask her if she would sit with him at lunch today...

He's been planning.
And thinking about whether he should ask her himself.
Or have a friend do it.
Or use the trusty standby, a note.

I told him I thought he should ask her himself.

So today was to be the big day.

He woke up early.

Took his shower.

Told me he was going ahead - he was going to ask her himself.

And if she said no, he'd be okay with that.

"I dealt with lots of rejection last year, remember Mom?"

That was with a girl named Chabeli.

But this year it's Emily.

When I picked him up from school, the first thing he said was, "I couldn't do it, Mom, because I had to go to band and I didn't have time."

Then tonight as I tucked him in, he added, "I didn't have time, but I also didn't do it because every time I thought about it I got this really weird feeling in my stomach..."

Remember what that was like?

For me, it was a boy named Todd Fox in fourth grade.

He was my first real crush. And I had it bad.

I don't think Emily likes my son at all.

So naturally, I want to protect him... I don't want this girl to rip his heart out.

I think he has a healthy perspective on it... at least he seems to.

But that nervous stomach?

That's puppy love if ever I've seen it.

Sweet kid.

Watching them grow up is bittersweet, for sure.

But watching his little heart go pitter-patter and listening to him making plans now for Valentine's Day, how he's going to sneak in at lunchtime and put a bouquet on her desk, that warms my heart.

He's a great kid.

And someday, some girl will be lucky to have him.

I just hope it's not Emily.

Not because there's anything wrong with her - she's adorable. And nice enough.

But because I'm not quite ready.

Not yet.

Not quite.

(pretty sure I'll never be ready...)