My baby isn't a baby anymore......

I think as parents we all have those moments where we look at our children and wonder how they ever got so big. Last Friday I had one of these moments as I had the opportunity to have some "one on one" time with my oldest child Landon. Landon is eight years old and has been snow skiing for four years. Although I ski a little I haven't ever gone skiing with Landon. For one reason or another I've stayed home with the little ones and dad would be the one on the slopes with the older ones. Friday was the first day of Christmas vacation for Landon and Dayton so I took the opportunity to go with Landon to the slopes. We had such a wonderful time together talking about all the important issues in an eight year olds life. We arrived at Eldora ski resort where Landon proceeded to get all his gear on by himself and show me where to go to get on the correct lift. When did he learn how to buckle his boots and snap into his skiis by himself? Where was I when he learned how to coast up to the ski chair and hop on board as if he had done this a million times? Why wasn't he looking to me for help with all these tasks? It seemed that I was skiing with a friend instead of teaching and taking care of all the things that you have to do when you are with your "little ones". I was amazed at Landon and what an awesome skiier he is. Partly because he is my son and I'm a bit prejudiced and partly because I still think of him sometimes as my little guy that I need to help even if he doesn't need my help. On our first run down the mountain I told Landon to go first and I would ski behind him. He kept stopping and looking back at me and I would encourage him to go ahead and I would ski right behind him all the way down. After the first run he didn't look back for me anymore and would just ski down with me directly behind him. On the way home he asked me why I always told him to ski in front of me. I told him that I wanted to ski behind him in case an out of control skiier came flying down the mountain than I could protect him from being hit. That the skiier would either hit me or I could grab Landon in time to get out of the way. It seemed completely logical to me. Landon told me that when he goes skiing with dad that he always skiis behind him. He told me that when they get off the lift dad says "Follow me" and a way they go. I guess that explains why Landon kept looking back on our first run. I don't know if this is the difference between a mom and a dad but in a way it made me laugh to realize that even though Landon didn't need my help or my protection that old habits die hard. I guess no matter how old our children get in some ways they will always be our babies.