I'll be like this for a while

We were telling our little grandson Jack about our plans to come to England next spring.
Since he lives a continent and an ocean away, the only way we can regularly connect with this beautiful little British lad is via Skype every Sunday at his bedtime.

Jack the lad

We read him a story, he listens raptly and he sends us a virtual hug and a bunch of kisses over the air.
It's precious time but it isn't quite the same as being near him in person.
We regret that he's growing up without us.
So I was trying to explain to him that we are trying to get things worked out so we can come see him physically.
I know it's too much for him to figure out that we don't live in a box or in a telephone so I was trying to put things in comprehensible terms. I was trying to find a way to tell him how far away the spring of 2012 is without totally confusing the child.
"When we see you next year, will you be all grown up, a lot bigger?" I asked him.
His 4-year-old mind was taking it in, trying to be brave because the last time we talked about getting together he cried when he realized he wouldn't be four anymore by the time we arrived.

Stolen from Derek's website

(To him that's a measure of a very long time.)
He seems to have reconciled himself to the situation.
"Don't worry," he told us in his adorable British lilt. "I'll be like this for a while."