Growing up

My son just turned 7. For many parents, the life-changing milestones of their children can bring about a period of brief melancholy: "My daughter is starting kindergarten ... she's growing up right before my eyes." Or ... "my son just learned to ride a bike without training wheels ... he'll be driving a car before we know it."

But milestones like these I have welcomed with brazen enthusiasm. Another rite of childhood passage down for my boy. Check.

That is until this morning when he burst into my wife and I's bedroom and boldly announced: "I have a loose tooth!" Most children by 7 have already lost several teeth, but my son's precious baby teeth had all remained in tact. 22 pearly whites joining together to create a perfect little toothy smile. Until now.

My little boy is growing up.