Fat, Dumb, and Ginger

This saturday, my son turns five. This is upsetting me more than I can express, and it’s not just because I never really finished his baby book. (scrapbooking–it’s boring as hell)

Every year I am struck with this strange set of emotions. On one hand, he’s growing up to be such a wonderful little boy. Every day he makes me smile and laugh in new and interesting ways. He surprises me with his grasp on things I would have never thought possible. He’s smart, and he’s kind, and such a funny guy. He loves his sister so fiercely, and is forever concocting new ways for them to engage.  He’s the first guy at the park to ask everyone to play, and goes out of his way to make everyone feel included. In short, he’s awesome.

On the other hand, I can’t believe how much time has gone by. I’m nearly 1/3 of the way done with the time I have with him before he leaves for college. He starts kindergarten this fall, and he’s over halfway done with his pre-k year. I want to hold him in a bubble in which I can freeze time, and enjoy each stage a little bit longer. I want to keep him and his sister little just a little while longer. My baby is a toddler, and my boy is a child. It’s such a beautiful pain.

I both love and hate watching the way his view of the world changes as he interacts with the people in it. He has a more acute awareness that people are both the light and the dark in this place we share, and I am so grateful that the people that surround him, show him all of the light this world has to offer. I am so grateful that he has such a big heart, and truly does not recognize silly things like race, religion, or sexual orientation as something other than neat aspects that make people unique. He knows that the Navajo (whom he calls his “uncle”) has super cool hair, and is buddhist like his great grandmother. He knows that he has a few aunts and uncles who choose to share their life with someone of the same gender, and to him, that just means that his uncle’s apartment has a convenient habit of having the seat of the potty almost always UP. (not so convenient for me, btw)

His best friends are Jewish, Buddhist, Catholic, and Athiest, and all he cares about is how his aunt has the fattest, dumbest, most orange cat you’ve ever seen. (he really is fat, dumb, and orange…really really fat, dumb and orange…he’s super) The Captain is so special, and so wonderful, and I never want him to have to realize that some people are marginalized, that some people won’t appreciate how beautiful he is, and how wonderful it is that he understands his Buddhist background. I never want people to take advantage of his gentle nature. I am going to squeeze every moment of this I have, because I know it can’t last forever.

Soon, the social constructs that people erect around them to make themselves more comfortable will be visible to him. Soon, he’ll see how not everyone is appreciated in the same manner. For now? He is untouched by this, and it’s wonderful.

All he cares about is the big, white, truck he wants for his birthday, and the noodles and shrimp with “wawacwess” (watercress) he wants for dinner.

He always wants shrimp and greens. Always.

Fortunately, it’s not yet his birthday, and I choose what he’ll eat for breakfast. He requested shrimp and egg congee…I made carrot and potato latkes with a side of eggs and fruit. He seems not to care.

I made carrot and potato latkes for you scamps as well. Spicy, sweet, and savory, these are great for Easter or Passover brunch, lunch, or dinner. They’re crispy, delicious, and I made them in just a little bit of coconut oil, and finished them in the oven, so they’re HEALTHY. I know, shocking.

Spiced Carrot Potato Latkes