Milestones

There are many important milestone’s in your child’s life. We all discuss the firsts: first words, first steps, first day of school. We compare accomplishments: ditching the diapers, eating solid foods, learning how to ride a bike.

But there are some milestones that, while not often discussed, are just as important. Here is a selection of them, to give you an idea:

1. When they are old enough to tattle on you to the other parent (Mommy hit the mailbox with the car!)
2. When they outgrow the baby hangers and you have to buy them full-sized ones (how did my little one get so big?!)
3. When they learn to spell (Mom to dad: should we take them to get p-i-z-z-a? Child: YES I WANT PIZZA!)

Tonight, Aiden hit one such milestone.

To set the scene, we have a friend visiting with her two children. Her two, plus our two, means it is a bit of a zoo around the house. A fun zoo, but exhausting, nonetheless.

The friend and I decide that it’s a good night to put the kids to bed early and enjoy a glass of wine.

Aiden’s normal bedtime is 8pm. By 6:55, all children had PJs on, teeth brushed, and were tucked into bed.

Friend and I retire downstairs to the couch and open a bottle of wine. We poured the wine into glasses and enjoyed sipping it for about a grand total of 10 seconds.

One of her children is on the stairs. She leaves to put him back to bed.

Then my youngest needs something. Then one of hers. The only child we haven’t heard from yet is my oldest, who has turned on his light and is reading in his bedroom. I let it go because – well, I really wanted some quality time with my bestie.

After a good half an hour of attempting to corral various children into their beds, we’ve finally got them settled, and head back downstairs to enjoy our now-lukewarm wine.

And then Aiden yells my name. “Mama!”

I rush upstairs, lest he disturb the other children whom we have just managed to get back in their beds.

“Yes, Aiden?”

He is sitting up in bed, pointing at the digital clock in an accusatory manner.

“My bedtime is EIGHT. When I got in bed the first letter said SIX and it’s been forever and the clock still only says SEVEN.”

And that, my friends, is how we learned Aiden could tell the time.

Milestone achieved. Cue pride and chagrin, all at the same time.