Growing Up

Last night, the phone rang for the first time. At least that was how it felt when hubby answered and a boy asked “is Aidan there?”

Hubby, ever-protective and probably a bit startled asked “can I tell her who is calling?”

“Billy*, but I am calling for Danny*.”

Gulp. You know it is puppy love when a boy has his friend call on behalf of himself.

The phone was handed to a blushing Aidan, who said hello. A second later, she improved on the initial hello with a more syrupy “oh, hello, Danny!” The look on her face positively alarmed me. While I love to see dancing eyes, rosy cheeks, and ear-to-ear grins, I am not used to seeing them inspired by a certain boy on the other end of the phone line. Boys have called her before, but they were just pals.

I tried to non-chalantly follow Aidan around so I could monitor the conversation and make sure it stayed on a second-grade level. They talked about the crazy things brothers do, the grocery store, what they had for dinner, and cartoons. Finally, I told her in a whisper that it was time to get off the phone and help clean up the day’s disasters around the house. She told Danny that she would see him at school tomorrow.

Click. The phone hung up, she danced around the house in her own world, humming like a Disney Princess who just met her prince. I half-expected animated squirrels and rabbits to crawl out from under the couch to admire our daughter and tap their paws along to the tune she sung so happily.

Ready or not, the waltzing has begun.

*names have been changed to protect Prince Charming and his helpful sidekick