mom. i think i got puberty.

me and T

As per the norm, yesterday Tristen called me on his walk home from school.  He tells me about his day and rambles the .5 miles home.   I half listen, half find something on my desk to work on that requires half my brain, and I tell him what he needs to do when he gets home. But yesterday’s convo was not exactly the norm.  Here's how it went: 

Tristen:  So mom, you know how we have FLASH class right now?

{FLASH: Family Life and S  ex  ual Health} 

Me:  Ya

T:  Well today in FLASH we learned about Puberty.  And Mom, I think I got it. 

{I immediately stop multi-tasking and I scream WHAT?!!!  Just in my head of course.}

Me:  oh really!?! 

T:  yep.  I think I got Puberty mom.

Me:  realllly??  What makes you think that?

T:  well, you get a lot of emotions when you have Puberty.  Like emotions that come out of no-where.  And you get really stressed out when you have Puberty.  Remember when you told me to put my shoes on and I got really mad and took it out on you cause I thought you thought I didn’t know how to put my shoes on? 

{ummmmm… I must have missed that he was so mad, cause I don’t remember}

Me:  um, ya, I remember that.

T:  I think that was puberty mom.

Me:  ooooooooooooh…

T:  ya, and remember when I got really mad and I got really hot so I went into the garage and turned the lights off and laid on the ground? 

{ohmygad, I was sooo annoyed with him when he did that.  It was like dealing with a two year old throwing a tantrum all over again.  And I chose to just let him work it out and lay there.  And he got a spider bite.  And I told him that’s what you get when you lay on the ground in the garage.  I know.  I’m such a stand up mother}

Me:  YES, I DO remember that.

T:  well, I think that was Puberty.  Cause you know, Puberty has a lot of emotions.

{right about now I’m experiencing waves of mortification, while doing my best not to giggle, and I’m freaking out cause he’s right: my little boy is entering Puberty and he knows it; and I’m smiling at how absolutely precious this conversation is, so naturally I grab my note pad and start scribbling fiercely to get down everything he’s said because this conversation must be documented, and I start asking leading questions.}

Me:  it sure sounds like it.  What else happens when you get Puberty?

T:  well, your muscles get bigger and you get taller.  And that is definitely happening to me.

Me:  yep, it sure is.  

T:  oh!  And mom, you get facial hair when you have Puberty!  

Me:  facial hair?

Tristen:  ya!!  And guess what mom.  You have to get like an inch away from my face to see it, but I have a full beard. 

Me:  You do!?!

T:  Yep. 

Me:  You have to show me when I get home.

T:  Okay.  I will. 

Me:  I think you might be right.  I think you might have Puberty.

T:  Ya.  I think I got it mom.

Me:  well, I think it’s going to be really helpful to know what’s causing some of these things, right?

{'mom' inserting a thought ends the conversation.  

I betcha that’s a symptom of Puberty too}

T:  ya, okay mom.  I gotta go.

I got home from work.. 

we chit chatted a minute and my boy brings it up, I didn't even have to. 

T:  mom, that’s crazy 'bout Puberty, right?

Me:  It sure is Bird!  Ohmygosh, let me see your beard!

{he puts his face next to mine so I can get a good look and points a finger to the skin under his nose, and above his lip}

T:  see mom, I have a beard.  It’s not dark yet, but it’s a full beard.

Me:  WOW!  I do see it!

{we’re about three inches away from each other, staring at each other’s faces, and I’m thinking wow.  Wow oh wow.  This has happened so quickly.  He’s eleven.  He’s learning about puberty.  My precious precious boy.  Who is literally on his way to being a young man.  How time flies.  And things change.  Literally.   Our bodies, our thoughts, our emotions, our awareness.  I’m about to gently tell him, so he won’t have an embarrassing moment of someone laughingly telling him that his “beard” is actually a “mustache”, cause man, the kid is like me and embarrasses easily, and the way he’s looking at me so intently.. my heart is just melting.  And then he said...}

T:  jeez mom, your beard is bigger than my beard.

He can just get embarrassed.  ;)

Birdie examining my "beard"

Linking up right {here} with Stephanie, 
cause by golly, I gotta share this moment. :) 

-m-