He is 13.....

I went to wake him up this morning and just looked at him. I remember bringing him home, all 7 lbs 11 oz of him. I remember being terrified of cutting his finger nails. I remember being so exhausted and so in love. I remember having nightmares of him growing razor sharp teeth and still wanting to nurse. I remember watching him sleep all curled up. And then I woke up my now 13 year old son and saw him stretch. His feet are about to hang off his mattress. He is excited about going to Washington D. C. on a class trip. He is talking about going to his Valentine's Day dance. He is almost as tall as me. He has a humor that makes me laugh out loud. He has a laugh that makes me smile. It seems like he was a baby not so long ago. And yet, here he is all grown up and looking like a teenager. Happy Birthday my Juju. I Love You.

(written on his birthday 2/13)

Things that make me go HMMMMMM.....

• Why is it that when I'm in a rush to get out the door that Silvia figures out how to explode a diaper?

• Why do I feel like I'm "doing" something when I have the washer, dryer and dishwasher running?

• How is it I can step in the only puddle of water in the kitchen when I'm wearing socks?



• I will always wonder how my kids can sleep in so late on school mornings but wake up at 6 am on the only day I get to sleep in...



• The one time I am at a teacher meeting on time everyone else is running late... BUT if I was the one running late they would have all been sitting at the table waiting on me.....



• That the one day I blow off my child when she says she doesn't feel well I get a call from the school that she is running a temperature and I need to pick her up.



• My kids that LOVE to play in the rain, jump in water puddles, actually ask me to let them out and want me to drive thru the water to splash them ... They look at me like I should be called in for child abuse when I suggest they walk to school in the rain since they have umbrellas.

• Forgot one... I can disprove evolution by just saying that if evolution was true then moms would have 4 extra retractable arms. How do we do it all without at least 4 extra arms?
  

The Wind Blowing Through My Hair...

I had a moment. A blissful 30 minutes. A quiet, peaceful period of time. I dropped Andrew off at his youth meeting at church and then I was in the car, alone. It had been a while. I usually have at least 1 child with me at all times. There were a few times when I lived in Arkansas after I dropped off all the kids at school and daycare and I headed to work that I had this ME moment. When I was with just my thoughts, could listen to my radio or read a page without being called. This time I wasn't heading to work. I wasn't worried about being somewhere on time. It was just me. I rolled the windows down. For the first time my hair was not pulled back in a pony tail or scarf. My hair started flying. I cranked up Bonnie Raitt on the CD player and bluesed it out with one of the best. I'm smiling just thinking about this lady singing outloud, alone in the car with her hair flying. I know she gets buried under kids and home a lot but when she shines through I just smile.

Conversations With a 7 Year Old...

can, at times, be confusing. With Georgia it is most of the time. She still gets a lot of her words wrong. Her pronouns are iffy. Just saying certain words, well you just have to know but it is getting so much better. Here are 2 short conversations that let me know she is growing up way to fast....

Conversation #1

Georgia: I wish I could be Memaw's (this is my Mom) kid.

Me: Why do you want to me Memaw's kid?

Georgia: Cause Memaw doesn't have any kids. She needs some kids.

Andrew: (laughing) Um, Georgia, Memaw has 4 kids. Mom is one of her kids.

Georgia: No, she needs a kid like me! Not a big one like Mom. Memaw will be lonely with no kids like me.

Me: Everyone needs a kid like you Georgia Beans!

Conversation #2

With Valentine's around the corner that mean love is in the air. Or is it love??

Georgia: I don't think Robert likes me.

Me: Why do you think he doesn't like you?

Georgia: He won't play with me or let me hug him. (Georgia is a HUGE HUGGER).

Me: Maybe he only likes to play with other boys and not girls yet. Some boys are like that.

Georgia: Weeelllll, I don't think Robert will get me a valentine.

Me: I'm sure he will. I think you have to give one to everyone.

Georgia: Are you sure about that?

Me: I'm pretty sure. Why do you like Robert??

Georgia: No. He just won't hug me. Probably won't give me a valentine.

PAUSE....

Georgia: I just have a very bad feeling about that..... (sigh)