Last Friday, we took Dane to his 9 month check-up. Fully expecting more shots we were pleasantly surprised when none were given. He does great when he gets them, so we weren't really too concerned if it was time for another round. He jumps a little when the needle goes in and gives us a funny look. Then it's over and he smiles again. Except for one rather viscous solution, he does well to walk it off.

This time our Doctor looked him over and said he was looking great. He showed us where Dane fell on the growth chart. In height, he was at the 80%ile. In weight, he was at the 40%ile. The Doctor informed us, now that he is starting to be more mobile (he hasn't crawled yet, but he's up and rocking), his weight will plateau compared to height. He's also moving along developmentally, just like clockwork.

At work today, a little boy was running down the hall. He was about 2 years old. I began to think about Dane being that age. It is so hard for me to imagine him running around, doing boy things, being rambunctious, just making his father proud. It's right around the corner for me and it's still almost impossible for me to imagine.

Something even more abstract, is the idea of him as an adult. It's hard for me to wrap my brain around the concept that one day, he will be as tall as me (or taller), making his own decisions and will be more of an equal, than a son to guide. I know that guiding my son will always be an aspect of our relationship, but at some point (I don't know when it happened for my Dad and me) the father looks at his son as grown, mature and capable. That just seems so far away, but I've heard it happens in the blink of an eye.

Looking over what I just typed, I like the sound of guide. Guide, to me, describes my role as a parent. I liken it to a river guide or a rock climbing guide. The guide is experienced, but doesn't know everything. A guide learns as much from the guided, as the guided learns from the guide. The guide realizes that ultimately, the decision is made by the guided, but it is up to the guide to transfer his knowledge and experience, so the guided can make the best decision. The guide allows the experience to take place without unnecessary interference, so confidence is built and there is less reliance on the guide. I think that describes my goals rather well.

Yeah, I'm not just Dane's father, I'm his life guide.