As a matter of safety I ask my boys to always hold someone’s hand while crossing the street. We spend a lot of time deciphering where the sidewalk ends and where the street begins. Gutters are confusing because they are concrete like the sidewalk and AJ tries to negotiate that point when a ball is within reach from the gutter but not the curb.

Afternoons are when we take our trip to the mailbox. It is down at the end of the neighborhood, across a busy street.

As we begin our stroll one of our neighbors comes out to get her mail too. She lives a few houses down and is 86 years old. Both boys yell out "Hi Bea" and wave. Boo begins a mantra of "Hi Bea, Hi Bea, Hi Bea," and keeps it up for the remainder of the walk.

As we approach the busy street I remind the boys, "hold a hand while crossing the street."

AJ runs over to Bea, grabs her hand and says, "I will walk you across the street. We need to look both ways to be sure that no cars are coming and then I will make sure that you get across safely."

She smiles at him, takes his hand and they help each other across. He takes her hand for the return trip as well, making sure that it is safe for her to cross the street.

She thanks him for being so kind and he looks so proud. I congratulate him on being such a little gentleman, just like his daddy.

As we get to our house the boys say goodbye to Bea, AJ runs to the front door and opens it for me. He is being so sweet, polite and such a gentleman; it reminds me of Joe and the charm that swept me off my feet years ago.

Like daddy, like son and I wouldn’t have it any other way!

Off to make another Mommy Milestone.