The rest of the kids went to youth group this evening, so I put my daughter to bed with a lingering hug and extra squeezes. While she was in my arms, I thought I really don’t do this enough.
Before bed tonight, each of my children lined up in front of Chris for his/her special handshake with Daddy. This was after (and before) they required much correction for unruly behavior but for a moment, I smiled so hard I teared up and silently thanked Chris for convincing me to have so many kids.
He wears my old Vans and sings along to my old punk rock tunes, filling in on air drums and singing the harmonies beneath me. He rations the beef jerky and sips the kombucha I bought him before I picked him up from school. He asks questions about politics and points out rainbows between the mountains. We count four. He soaks in the beauty of his surroundings. He enjoys the hotel and the food and the service, exchanging pleasantries with strangers. He complains not about the hands in his mouth or the missing tooth or the long ride back without cell service or bathrooms. He is polite and conscientious and awake. I love this kid.
Ames took a rock to the face at the beginning of summer and lost a permanent tooth. The true fix is years down the road but in the meantime, it’s time to talk braces. So where does a small town kid go for an orthodontist consult? The big city, of course! We’re heading up to Anchorage this afternoon, just my boy and I. We’ll have a hotel sleepover and drive back tomorrow after the appointment.
I am both excited and nervous about so much one-on-one time. The kid who came out of my body, seemingly a tiny version of myself, now feels like a stranger to me much of the time. This is adolescence, I guess. Here we go!
I attended a baby shower today and was immediately transported to all things newborn – the swaddles and the diapers and the breast milk and the schedules and the giggles and the tears. A life marked by hours, not days. It was hard as hell and sweet as heaven. I am not sure that I could do it again but I sure wouldn’t change it for the world.
It’s been a long time since I had a middle schooler. I’m not crazy about the long hours and unknown and angst it brings us, but I just remembered I how much I love the sports. I’m a soccer mom again, waiting to pick up my kid from practice with seat heaters on and a book in my hand. I love it.
My kids have been so funny lately. Frustratingly defiant and a little sassy, sure, but also hilarious. Most of the time, I find myself thoroughly relishing their company. As we laughed over lunch at a swanky brunch spot today, I got to hold my neighbor’s baby and then pass her back and finish my mimosa at a leisurely pace. I miss the old days and I like these, too.