My Sweet, Sweet Tanner

The only non-cartoon movie that Tanner has ever really seen, besides Stuart Little, which is about half-and-half, is Transformers. We let him watch that with us a few times because he has been so into them. Well, Ryon, Grandma Jensen, Tanner and I all watched Marley and Me tonight. None of us had seen it before, and Tanner wanted to snuggle with me and watch it. I thought it was so cool that he wanted to watch it, and that he was totally into it. He was laughing at the dog, and talked about the movie all the way through it.

Well it wouldn't be a dog movie worth making if the dog didn't die at the end. If you haven't seen the movie, it goes through about 10 years worth of life and Marley ends up getting sick and having to be put to sleep at the end. Marley falls asleep on the table in the vet office, and then his family buries him in the front yard.

During the burial, I heard Tanner say quietly, "My eyes are all watery." I looked over at him and he had big tears in his eyes. I asked him "Is it making you sad?" His little face scrunched up and he just started crying harder. He nodded his head and laid it on my shoulder. The movie ended shortly thereafter and he just kept crying. Ryon carried him upstairs and I snuggled in bed with him and we talked about it some. I stayed there until he fell asleep.

I just didn't think about the fact that my five-year-old isn't a baby anymore and he can understand and have feelings about things he may see in a movie. I think from now on we'll stick with Clifford. Clifford is always alive and waiting for you! It was a moment that made me realize even more that my little Tan Man is growing up. A very sweet moment.