Happy Birthday Ayden!

Ayden,

Wow, what a year it has been for you. I blink and all the sudden, you’re not a little kid anymore. You’re growing up way too fast for my liking. You are all at once mature, keenly responsible, and acting more like a grown-up than a kid every day.

And while it’s equal parts awesome and no! no! not yet!, it’s also a little bit …, where did my baby boy go?

I give you one more summer and you will surely be taller than me. By Christmas, your feet will be bigger than mine (and my feet are pretty big to begin with!).

You are so thoughtful and compassionate, plus so level-headed and easygoing. Traits that I really admire in the young man you’re becoming. You have showed fierce determination when you fixate on a goal (raising grades, participation, etc.), and can do anything you set your mind to.

But this past year? This past year, I rub my eyes and see a completely different kid. Someone who is fearless, who now gravitates towards bigger, faster, higher.  Someone who has really grown into his own.

And I couldn’t be more proud.

You help around the house without being asked (sometimes), are a wonderful big brother to your sister, and are truly a pleasure to be around.

This year, you have discovered a love for playing basketball, and you’re going off in so many new and exciting directions, I can see more and more the type of young man that you are becoming. I’m so glad I get a front row seat to all of it.

I love you and you will always be my baby boy no matter how old you are.  Happy 11^th Birthday!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Superbowl.....

The kids had their own superbowl party!

They love the Panthers and were disappointed with the loss, but what a great season!

I still haven't figured out who won the superbowl that was played in my house.......

It was a rainy indoor football kind of day, so that is what they did......all day long!

Then we had loads of finger party foods for dinner (for fun, of course).

They loved every minute of it!

Witching Hour....

It was during the time of day that parents describe as the witching hour – that hour or so in late afternoon during dinner preparation when young children fall apart from the stresses of the day, whether their day consisted of napping and playing or riding along in the car all day on errands.  Tantrums and full-system meltdowns are common.  The witching hour more often than not tests a parent’s patience.  I have failed this test many times before.

 

The witching hour these days occurs as soon as we arrive home from school when the day becomes busy with schoolwork or practice or play.  Dinner is being prepared during this time, only to be consumed swiftly and in staggered order of hunger level and/or departure or arrival time dependent on nightly activities.  It was then the tantrum ensued.  A complete hour worth of crying only to find out that her best friend was mean to her today.  You see Raegan and Rynn love each other and get on each other’s nerves at the same time.  Is that even possible at three years old?  Well apparently!  They feed off each others moods……here’s hoping Rynn has no more “mean” days, because it sure makes my evening way too interesting.

Fashion Statement

Nothing beats making a winter fashion statement more than matching hats, right?  Ayden's friends mom made these for Raegan and me.  Too cute, huh?

But, I Don't Want To!

sparked from "Please take a picture!"....

BUT I DON’T WANT TO!

 

These words scream in my head so often that when I hear them coming from one of my kids, I almost don’t recognize that they are not coming from me.

 

I don’t want to.

 

They don’t want to clean up their rooms, read books for school, go outside and play or to practice doing anything.

 

I don’t want to clean toilets, do laundry, make dinner, or run errands.  I don’t want to go to bed, wake up, exercise, or blow my hair dry.  I don’t want to pay bills, and I sure don’t want to go out in the yard to pull weeds.

 

But hold on.  Slow up.  Take a breath.

 

Just forget for a minute that these are my children and that I am their role model.

 

 

 

Why don’t I – we – want to?  Is it because we don’t want others telling us what to do, or because we don’t like to be controlled by outside forces, or because the job is boring, or thankless, or stupid, or – heaven forbid – good for us?

 

Do you know what I want to do?  Well you probably don’t, but believe me – I’ve tried it.  It gets old, fast.

 

The things I should do – must do – are always present, and they are there to make life interesting, and productive, and beneficial. 

 

It’s a hard lesson for some of us, those of us who are wired a little more loosely than others.  (Or tightly, depending on your perspective)  I don’t want to because I feel put out by the things I have to do, that I am somehow missing something else because of the priority things – the work I must do.  I spent all day washing clothes and now I don’t have time to do anything else that might be fun.  FOR ME.

 

 

 

 

It’s selfishness, really.  A character flaw.

 

I resist change at an inconsequential level.  Tell me that tomorrow we’ll be doing something in a month, but please don’t tell me that you’re coming home late….. Both of the kids have places to go or things to do and they haven’t approved human cloning yet, and I’m definitely holding out on that before asking anyone to help out.  Also, that stuff I need to get rid of can sit in the garage for a few more weeks, can’t it?  Getting rid of things is a lot of work.  A LOT of work.

 

And I don’t want to do it.

 

The realization that my kids mirror what they see in me, and that my job is to teach them otherwise, is a scary thought.  This is my parenting fail.  This is where I’ve messed them up forever. 

 

I apologize, future spouses of my children.  (I guess I should begin working on this!)

 

It’s also the point at which I no longer freak out when they refuse to do something.  “I don’t want to” elicits not a surprise reaction, nor anger, nor much emotion at all anymore.  I ask them to verbalize why they don’t want to, and let the reasons play out and dribble away.

 

We don’t want to, but that’s not an option most of the time.  Getting them to see it that way is hard, but I think eventually they will.

 

Whether or not they want to, that is.

A New Cousin

Meet Aubrie James Quinn, born on January 12, 2016.  She weighed in at 6 pounds 13 ounces of sweetness!  The kids love her already, as does everyone else!  Raegan was so excited about her but then decided that Uncle Jonathan and Aunt Erin's dog may be better since Aubrie just sleeps right now.  Ayden was so excited he rushed in to hold her and love on her!  Both of the kiddos love babies.....I wonder where they get that from?!

Welcome 2016.....

Welcome to the mess.....
the madness.....
and the chaos.....
with a touch of magic!


That's how the New Year always presents itself!


Here we go.....hoping for a fabulous 2016 full of blessings!