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Random Milestones on a Wednesday Morning

September 4, 2013 By Lena

Last night, I was tinkering around my website trying to adjust my security settings. (Side note, when was the last time you refreshed your passwords? I do so at the beginning of each quarter – it’s a good habit to get into!)

Anyhoo, I came across an admin setting which showed that I had published 2,499 posts. Hence, this post… the one you are reading at this very moment… is my 2,500th post. Woo hoo! And since my 5-year blogiversary is just around the corner, my elementary school math skills tell me that I publish just over 500 blog posts per year. Crazy, right? That’s a LOT of words on paper. Er, on screen.

So I began thinking that this post should have some significance; I should write something heartfelt and poignant in an effort to immortalize this milestone. But when it came down to it, the only thing I wanted to write about is how proud I am of this little guy.

My Ryder, who grabbed his lunchbag off the kitchen counter and fearlessly jumped in the car. My Ryder, who when we reached his school, waved goodbye without a backward glance and followed his teacher inside. And when school was over, my Ryder greeted me with a smile, running down everything he had accomplished that day. He was happy.

This is the same little boy who cried hysterically on the first day of school last year. This is the same little boy who has crippling social anxiety. This is the same little boy who is growing up.

And… this is the same little boy whose grandma had to let out the hemline on his pants by two inches. Two inches of growth since the same time last year. Two inches of growth, measured in maturity, emotional development, an evolving personality, and a morph into boyhood.

My 2,500th post is dedicated to Ryder, who inspired the creation of this blog in the first place. Because if he hand’t been such a great napper when he was six months old, I’d never have had the opportunity to begin putting thoughts on screen.

That’s all. Random milestones on a Wednesday morning. And now, back to your regularly scheduled programming.

Filed Under: Lifestyle Tagged With: Family, Lifestyle, Milestones, Reader Favourites

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Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Tricha

    September 4, 2013 at 9:31 am

    Awww, it was just a matter of time Lena. Glad he is enjoying going to school. Congrats on your 2,500th post. That’s a lot of writing.

    • Tricha

      September 4, 2013 at 9:32 am

      I wanted to add how much he looks like is dad and very dapper in his uniform.

    • Lena

      September 6, 2013 at 8:34 am

      Thank you so much Tricha :) And yes, he is a clone of my husband – with prettier eyes!

  2. Victoria

    September 4, 2013 at 9:55 am

    This is amazing…so proud of him….way to go buddy! xoxo

    • Lena

      September 6, 2013 at 8:35 am

      Muah!

  3. Debbie Bashford

    September 4, 2013 at 10:32 am

    Congrats on 2500 and what a dapper looking young man!

    • Lena

      September 6, 2013 at 8:35 am

      Thank you so much Debbie!

  4. Judy C (Cowan)

    September 4, 2013 at 10:35 am

    Glad to hear that he had such a good first day at school! What a handsome little guy!

    • Lena

      September 6, 2013 at 8:36 am

      Aw, thanks Judy. Yep, he’s a looker!

  5. Marissa

    September 4, 2013 at 11:04 am

    Congrats on your 2500th post milestone! Ryder is growing up slowly but surely and I’m so happy for him. He’s a good looking guy!

    • Lena

      September 6, 2013 at 8:47 am

      Thank you Marissa!

  6. NT

    September 4, 2013 at 11:06 am

    Happy 2500th!
    Glad to hear Ryder had a great start to the new school year.

    • Lena

      September 6, 2013 at 8:50 am

      Thanks so much NT :)

  7. Flora M

    September 4, 2013 at 1:14 pm

    Congrats on the 2500th Blog post !! So great to hear that Ryder had a super 1st day back at school. My 4 y/o granddaughter was so excited to go to school with big bro and sis, but poor thing – found out J/K doesn’t start until Thursday. She took it in stride though and can’t wait to be in school too ! Which is amazing given that she has ASD like her big brother.

    • Lena

      September 6, 2013 at 8:50 am

      Ah, I hope she had a wonderful first day! :)

  8. Michael

    September 4, 2013 at 1:36 pm

    Congrats on 2500 posts…wow!!! SO PROUD OF YOU!

    • Lena

      September 6, 2013 at 8:51 am

      xoxo

  9. Nicole W.

    September 4, 2013 at 1:43 pm

    Way to go Ryder!!! You must be a very proud mama! :) Plus, congrats on your 2500th post! WOW!!!! What an accomplishment!

    • Lena

      September 6, 2013 at 8:51 am

      Thanks so much Nicole!

  10. Lisa H

    September 4, 2013 at 2:20 pm

    Congrats to you and to Ryder!.. now what this about ‘Grandma’ having to let out his pants. tsk tsk Superwoman Lena doesn’t sew? lol! :o

    • Lena

      September 6, 2013 at 8:52 am

      LOL! I can *barely* sew a button on Lisa… but my mom is a bona fide seamstress! Hence, there was never a desire to learn :)

  11. Kat E.

    September 4, 2013 at 3:50 pm

    Wow! 2500 – congrats! Love the uniform & that Ryder had a great 1st day back!

    • Lena

      September 6, 2013 at 8:52 am

      Thank you Kat!

  12. AC

    September 4, 2013 at 7:59 pm

    That’s heartwarming, champagne popping, fireworks flying news! Congratulations to you both!!

    • Lena

      September 6, 2013 at 8:52 am

      Thank you friend :)

  13. Soozle

    September 4, 2013 at 8:24 pm

    Congrats on 2500!! WOW! :D

    I’m so happy to hear that Ryder’s first day seemed to go well for him too!! What a relief for all of you, I’m sure! He looks adorable in his uniform! :)

    • Lena

      September 6, 2013 at 8:53 am

      It’s an absolute relief Soozle! Thanks so much!

  14. Chandra Christine O'Connor

    September 4, 2013 at 8:29 pm

    see you did a great job raising him. well done to him for the big step he took this year and wow 2 inches is a lot of growth. think of it this way my baby my youngest baby girl graduates from university end of the year. sighhhh

    • Lena

      September 6, 2013 at 8:53 am

      Thank you Chandra :) And congrats to your “baby” girl!

  15. Yash

    September 5, 2013 at 1:47 pm

    Love this post :) Way to go Ryder and way to go Lena!

    • Lena

      September 6, 2013 at 8:53 am

      Thank you Yash!

  16. Anne Taylor

    September 5, 2013 at 2:20 pm

    This is a beautiful post written by such a proud mom! Thanks for sharing!

    • Lena

      September 6, 2013 at 8:53 am

      Thank you so much Anne :)

  17. Lina

    September 5, 2013 at 9:11 pm

    Congrats to you both!

    • Lena

      September 6, 2013 at 8:54 am

      Thank you Lina!

  18. Victoria Ess

    September 6, 2013 at 1:37 am

    Congrats on 2500 quality, often funny, sometimes thought-provoking, and always engaging posts! I’m so happy to hear that the first day of school went well for Ryder! It must be a relief!

    • Lena

      September 6, 2013 at 8:54 am

      Aw, thank you Victoria! So sweet!

  19. DH

    September 6, 2013 at 10:59 am

    Congratulations on the milestone! One of my top blogs that I like to browse.

    • Lena

      September 6, 2013 at 9:02 pm

      Thank you so much DH! So kind of you to say!

  20. Judy C (Cowan)

    September 6, 2013 at 11:48 am

    Hope the rest of his week has gone as well! Congrats on 2500 posts! Love your blog!

    • Lena

      September 6, 2013 at 9:02 pm

      It has gone very well, thanks so much Judy!

  21. caryn s

    September 7, 2013 at 11:05 am

    Glad to Hear that your little man enjoys school! It was a bitter sweet time as my son started grade 1 this year!

    • Lena

      September 7, 2013 at 9:01 pm

      Aw, hugs to both of you! Though I’m sure he’s loving it :)

  22. jan

    September 7, 2013 at 4:25 pm

    Oh my goodness – how cute is he?!

    • Lena

      September 7, 2013 at 9:01 pm

      Hahaha thanks Jan!

  23. Raj @Pink Chai Style

    September 7, 2013 at 4:55 pm

    Congrats on your 2500th post, that is amazing!

    So nice to hear that your son is making the transition to school a little easier this year. My son has some emotional and anxiety issues of his own that are related to being extremely gifted, have you ever thought of having Ryder tested for giftedness? When Armaan was in preschool he was diagnosed with anxiety and OCD but we found out later that he was just so advanced in comparison to this classmates that his emotional capacity was advanced also, which was just too much for him to handle. I’m sure you are doing an awesome job with your little guy and keeping up with the doctors/specialists, it’s just that when you shared about his anxiety in your previous post, I felt like I had seen many of those symptoms in my son so I thought I would share.

    • Lena

      September 7, 2013 at 9:03 pm

      Hey Raj – funny enough, yes, his school has identified him as a gifted child. And they described what you did to a tee: an advanced emotional capacity that is often overwhelming for a 5-year old to process. Thank you so much for sharing your own experience, it means so much! And, it sounds like you have a little genius on our hands. You are blessed!

  24. Hunain @ HowToSaveMoney.ca

    September 12, 2013 at 5:02 pm

    We all definitely miss our school days I think because they were the most relaxed days of our lives when we had no worries no work to do other than fun and enjoyment.

    • Lena

      October 7, 2013 at 10:11 pm

      Agreed! Ah, the good old days.

  25. Lynn M

    October 2, 2013 at 8:36 am

    Congrats on 2500 !! Times goes by so fast,they grow up way too quickly! Enjoy!

    • Lena

      October 7, 2013 at 10:11 pm

      Thank you Lynn!

  26. loriag

    November 8, 2013 at 10:05 pm

    That is allot of posts, belated congrats, and I agree this is a great post to share.

  27. Darlene Schuller

    December 5, 2013 at 11:00 am

    You know, they go grow all to fast we get lost in day to day life, we suddenly see the differences in them one day..and realize they are growing up and becoming more and more independent.. pride is a beautiful feeling. He is quite the little man Lena <3

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Lena Almeida

Toronto Blogger, Social Media Strategist for Listen to Lena Inc. Television & Radio Personality, Columnist and Speaker. Family Travel Expert. Star Wars Fanatic. Perfecting the Art of Conversuasion. Read More…

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