Ummm...When did THAT happen?

So, yeah, I know WINK's almost nine. Sure, theoretically, I know he's not a baby.  But, up until very recently, he was still my baby.
But now......WINK...has...a crush!  On a real girl, not a celebrity. AND SHE'S CUTE!  AND SHE'S REALLY NICE.  And...I think she likes him back.

Agh!

Now, I'm sure every mother dreads this rite of passage and mourns this undeniable evidence that, someday, her little boy will let some temptress (a-hem, I mean sweet young lady), steal his heart (ummm...I mean fill his heart, or complete him, or something like that), and usurp dear old mom.  When WINK was in kindergarten, there was a little girl who acted much older than her age. She kissed WINK on the mouth right in front of me and, when I startled, she said, "I'm sorry...he's just so hot!"  WINK turned to me as we rushed out of the school and asked, "Mommy, why did she say I'm hot?"  I tried my hardest not to laugh, and said, "She just thinks it's really warm in the classroom."

But WINK's older now and he's not an innocent five year old anymore.  He's an innocent (almost) nine year old who tragically wears his heart on the outside. He's been trying so hard to master how his peers talk and to learn about their social cues. But...liking a girl and knowing how to act is a new dimension.  Just tonight, WINK made a hugely inappropriate joke at dinner but he had no idea why it was wrong. SMILE was joking around and said "like pee-pee" instead of "like maybe" while singing the title sequence of a kids' show.  WINK, laughing, said, "Okay...I'll pull down my pants and show you my..."
     "Whoa, whoa, WHOA!  WINK, you can't say that, honey."
     "But I'm being funny."
   
Oh boy. So...I guess DAD and I need to think about discussing puberty issues with our little guy. Aspergers will present some unique challenges, but I think I'm mostly feeling like any other mom right now.  I know he's only eight...almost nine...and I'll have many more years with him at home. But I think I'm getting my first glimpse of WINK as a...eek!...man.  I see it in his slightly more angular face and his slightly aloof stance.  This is going to take a lot to get used to.  Maybe I'll have DAD call his mom. She probably needs an "I love you" from her little boy as much as I do.