Brian was a very hands on papa from day one of having kids. He changed the first diapers, and many after. He got up for many (most) of the night feedings. He rocked babies to sleep, sang silly songs, danced around the room to get laughs, you name it, he did it. More importantly, he really enjoyed it. I really think that so far in the raising kids scheme of things, those early years, lets say birth to school age, were his favorite. He loves kids that age still, and is very ready for grand kids already. It's safe to say he (and for sure I) have zero interest in having a baby again, but grand kids sound pretty nice to him. Why am I telling you this?? Well, turns out we have opposite, but complementary "kid" outlooks. I am that odd mom who did not enjoy the early baby years. I know moms aren't supposed to say that. But it's true. I didn't like diapers, crying babies, potty training, no sleep....especially those first 6 months when they are just a blob. Beautiful, chubby, little, perfect blobs....but blobs non the less, who can't even sit up by themselves. The constantly holding, or feeding, or changing, or getting pooped on or spit up on, days on end with no shower.....I was not a fan. Things got easier around 18 months when they'd get a bit more independent and personalities really popped out. Thank goodness for Brian because man did we balance each other out during those years! Don't get me wrong, there were more good than bad times back then, I'm just saying if I'm being honest about this whole raising kids thing, the baby stage wasn't my favorite. I have always looked forward to the older years.
In the blink of an eye, we now have 11, 14, and 16 year olds. Boy have Brian and my roles flipped! These are the years I have been so looking forward to, and he's desperately pumping the brake, trying to slow time down. I'm jumping at the bit for all the first, and milestones, and he's getting dragged along next to me : ) I'm going to lump this section of raising kids into a time that started the first big "your growing up" milestones....and I'm not sure when I view it as ending. Maybe with high school graduation? I'm not sure, but I'll know it when it comes. So in my mind, that first tearing eyed graduation...yep, Emma's 5th grade graduation was when it started. She gave the graduation speech for her class, and there was a video starting from kindergarten and going through 5th grade. We sobbed and for the first time realized she'd be graduating high school in no time. Then Sophie had her 5th grade graduation, same thing. I was super excited both times that they were moving on to middle school, while Brian was not so enthusiastic. With middle school came the need for cell phones. (they walk home and I wanted to be able to communicate with them). Oh, and they walked home rather than needing picked up. Huge mom milestone. So exciting.
So I wont go through every milestone that has come along in these past few years, but it's so exciting for me to see them growing up! All the work of those early years was for these years. Watching them grow, giving them some independence and freedoms and seeing what they do with it, how they handle it, who they've grown into/are growing into. Seeing what their interests are and what adventures and choices they make. It's so exciting for me! This is the time I've been patiently waiting for. Things like surprising your oldest kid with her first car...man I looked forward to that since the day she was born, and now it's finally that time! Middle school talent shows. High school football games. Group projects. Internships. Peer mentors. Youth awards. Cute boys. Daughters who will talk to me about the cute boys. Taking my girls to the mall, while Brian and Myles see a movie. Driving around in Emma's truck with her. All of it, I love it all.
With the oldest kid experiencing firsts for the first time, the youngest is doing firsts for the last time. (that sentence hurt my head a little) Meaning that we are doing firsts on the front end, and wrapping them up on the back end....so Myles just had his/my last elementary school play. He's 42 days away from our last 5th grade graduation, our last kid we well celebrate the start of middle school with. The last kid we bought their "first cell phone" for. Which makes me enjoy these years even more because man, it's going by so fast! It's so exciting, and fun....and fast. Sweet Emma, who just had that 5th grade graduation I talked about earlier, will soon be a Junior in high school.
So yeah. That's pretty much life right now. It's crazy fast. It's fun. I'm right in the heart of the whole part I've been looking forward to forever, reassuring Brian it's all going to be ok. : ) I know I haven't been posting as much as previous years...but I'm still here. Just in a new season of mom-hood that I'm really, really enjoying.
Here's a peek -
Man I wish you could hit play on that video. Me and Emma bonding as Jimmy Kimmel and his side kick telling jokes.
