It's already started...

(A little background information first)....one of the things we do in our family is we use the sign for "I love you" to replace the actual words when talking is either impossible or inappropriate. Marcus and I do it, but I started doing it with Nathan at school to let him know I love him without embarrassing him by saying the actual words. A typical day dropping him off would be him getting out of the car with me saying "I hope you have a great day" and then signing "I love you". Then, I would sign it back. Well, for a few weeks now, he's been initiating this whole routine while he's still been in the car. Today I asked him about it. And he said that it embarrassed him to sign "I love you" outside of the car because everyone knew what it meant. I told him not everyone knew what it meant, but that if he didn't want to do it then it was fine. I didn't want him to do it if he didn't want to; it just not the same when you make them do it. This whole conversation made me sad. I thought that was something special between me and my boys (and soon to be Lindsay), and now Nathan doesn't want anyone to know he's doing it. He's only 7. This isn't supposed to happen for several more years!