Who's grown the most this summer...?

Eliot!
Not only has Eliot shot up physically, (he is now officially, 5' 7 3/4"... I am 5' 8"), he has also grown emotionally.

At the beginning of summer, we decided that Eliot would run cross country even though he was not 100% sure that he wanted to do it. After he found out that they ran every weekday of summer at 7am, he was pretty upset that I talked him into it. But, on Memorial Day, Eliot woke up to his alarm, got ready and biked to school at 6:50. And then, he got up and did it again the next day, and the next and the next... I have not had to wake him up once, and, he has biked there and back every day. Even through blistered feet, he has not complained about it. He has even stayed and worked out in the weight room or met some friends in the gym to shoot hoops after his run.

Then, last week was freshman orientation for Eliot. The day that he would get his locker assignment, have pictures taken for his lanyard and do all the other things that high school kids have to do before the first day of school. Adrienne and I talked him through the process. Basically, take the stack of papers and checks to school, get his picture taken and don't come home until all the papers had been delivered to the right department. I asked him if he wanted me to come with him, but he said I didn't need to. I asked him if he was nervous, he replied, "Not really." So, I dropped him off and he met up with some friends. A couple of hours later he called and said he was done and I could come and get him.  I am still amazed that I just graduated one from that high school and now we are starting all over again. Yet, it is so different this time. He's not worried about anything...lunch, lockers, classes, after school,... he even agreed that he could go meet with his counselor and change his schedule while I was at work. Adrienne decided at the last minute to take him because he didn't know where the office was, but he was still willing to do it himself. I think that's pretty amazing.

A final responsibility that Eliot has taken on is that he has become my babysitter for the summer. A few times a week, Eliot does his morning high school stuff and then comes home by 9, showers and babysits Elise until late afternoon. Today, they went on a bike ride, played polly pockets, cleaned Elise's room, did dishes, cleaned up the living room, practiced piano, and I don't even know what else... yesterday I came home and he had cleaned the bathroom!!

He keeps insisting, "I am more mature now mom." I'm hopeful that this is not just a stage, but an actual growth spurt of character. A preview of the young man he is becoming.