we're reading

This is one of those rare shots where the perpetual photographer is actually in the picture, and no one's posing. This was at the end of a long day, mamma bear is 6 months pregnant, and little bear is about to fall asleep to the sound of brother bear reading Frog and Toad. For Danny, it was one of those confidence boosting experiences, where he discovered he could read this book really fast (because it had been read to him umpteen times) without getting much help at all from me.
Since he turned 7, it seems like a number of things have just taken off for him. He's ridinghis bike without training wheels (took him just 10 mins to get the hang of it), he's super excited about spelling, to the point that i have to make him take a break, loving double digit addition and subraction, and determined to finish his handwriting book. I'm putting all this in writing because i know these bubbles of enthusiasm often fade, and just to remember.
Moments like these are the absolute icing on the cake of parenting for me.
When they were babies, all i looked forward to was when they could read, and we could talk about real stuff together. I honestly can't stand the baby/toddler stage. This is the part I hang out for, meeting the emerging personalities of these little souls, their sense of humour, the quirks, the awe in those innocent eyes as they learn something new about how life works. Moments when they say things that leave me speechless at how observant and wise they can be (followed closely by 100 moments when i wonder why i landed this job). Lots to savour amidst the daily grind.