A friendship blooms.

Sometimes I think I underestimate their bond. When we are all at home and it's a long and boring afternoon, things can easily spiral downward. I hear all the threats, "You're not my best buddy anymore!," "I'll never duel with you again, EVER!," "If you let me do (fill in the blank), I'll give you a dollar." You know, my list could go on and on, and it never reflects their finest moments.

So imagine my surprise this week at the dinner table when George announced that Henry had a girlfriend. I always figured when this day came, it was definitely going to be the other way around. It would be Henry telling us that George had a girlfriend. But the biggest surprise of all was that Henry didn't exactly deny the announcement. He kind of just chuckled ( I would type giggled, but I hate to embarrass him, he is nearly 9 and 1/2).

First Major Earnest and I sort of glance at each other from across the dining room table. And then we both decide to start probing. We started asking questions, things like "Is this true?," "How do you know this George?," "Why aren't you saying anything Henry?" You know, questions, we were asking lots of them.

It boiled down to a conversation that the two of them had on their morning walk to school. And that's when it all hit me. They have a bond. They have a relationship. They walk out my door every morning at nearly 7:40 and then suddenly it's just them against the world. They only have a few meters to walk to school, and yet they converse. I never imagined it before. Somehow I figured they just annoyed each other on that walk to school. But it turns out, they turn to each other.

Henry clarified that he doesn't have a girlfriend. It's just some girl, and she went to Henry and told him that she likes him. Just like that, straight to his face. But she asked him to promise never to tell ANYONE. And he's being all chivalrous about it, and he won't utter a peep about who she is.

I said, "Is she smart? Does she do her homework?"

And Darin said, "Is she hot?" (and then laughed harder than anyone at his clever joke.)

So it looks like we've got our bases covered. Of course together we taught the boys that they won't dream of actually having a girlfriend until they are 16. They did some computations to figure out how much longer that will be. Let me just say, it's not long enough!

But the point is, when Henry needed someone to tell his story to, he told it to George, on a morning walk to school. It kind of made me wish I could go on the morning walk to school. But then at the same time it didn't. If I did, I'd be in the way of them learning to not scream at each other things like "I'll never play with you again, for the rest of your life!!"

And just like that we've gone from having a couple of toddlers who chase after waves and battle with light sabers for half the day...

To this guy, who's all busy defending the honor of some chic in the 3rd grade by not telling his mother what her name is.

Man it's kind of rough to let them grow up.

P.S. Tonight everyone got to bed late, so that means I was all grumped out. As I walked passed the boys room, George beckoned me to come in. I was all angry, so I wouldn't actually go in, I just paused at the door and said "What?!"

He says, "Remember mom? Remember when I got lost at the Korean mall?"

And I said, "No. Because you didn't get lost, I found you." (keep in mind I was being really grumpy)

He said, "No mom, I was lost. And I just stood still because I couldn't find anyone. And then all of the sudden, you came back, and you found me. And if you hadn't done that, I might still be lost there right now. So I just wanted to tell you thank you, for finding me."

And then, I nearly had to wipe a tear away from my eye. I was touched all the way down into my grumpy core.

P.P.S. I hope you know Rachel, this post was just for you! Not only did it include some time laps photos, but it also included an update about Henry. Request granted. I am nothing, if not obliging.