Am I ready for independence?

Yesterday Little Monster decided he was more than capable of holding his own bottle thank you very much. Need I remind him and you that he is only 4 months old? Where did this sudden independence come from? Surely, surely, the start of independence is reserved for the domain of toddlerhood, the terrible twos and all those good things?

I know, I know, I can hear you saying 'he's only holding his bottle, stop being a neurotic mother'. But that's how it all starts. Today it's a bottle, next week he wants to go on holiday by himself with his girlfriend (she's a lovely girl). It's not that I'm adverse to him growing up per se. But the point is, I still have to deal with the bad bits of him being a baby. Him needing me, the cuddles, the clingyness - they're the good bits and they last such a short time. I'm just not ready for him to give me up. Not just yet.