One day at a time

"The days are long...but the years are short..." 

I've heard this sentiment expressed often from many a seasoned mother.  I have no room to speak on the subject as my oldest child is only seven years old.  I haven't "been there and done that" so to speak.  Well, maybe a little, but I've barely been wading in the mothering waters...my knees are barely wet.  There's always something new as they grow.  Triumphs and failures.  Laughter and tears. 

But there is also a season when we leave behind that precious baby as they turn into toddlers and then into preschoolers.  Ethan is in second grade now.  We are full of firsts for him as he strives to figure out the world.  He struggles but is wonderfully successful in his own ways.  The toddler era slipped away.  It seemed like he was a preschooler for two measly little seconds, and now, he's going into third grade next year.  The time has flown by!

Daniel has done the same thing.  Even down to the fact that I didn't think he'd ever have hair.  And then he did.  It was like I woke up one day and it had all grown in.  The kids like to wear Deron's old t-shirts as pajamas, and the other day, Hannah wore the same t-shirt Deron was wearing the day we brought her home from the hospital. She's four now. (yeah, it's good and worn in)  Grace'll be three this year. She's talking and enunciating words very well and was potty-trained earlier than any of my others. 

It's weird not having one in diapers.  Not having one that needs to be held.  It's weird not having a baby around.  It's weird going through clothes to give away because your youngest children have outgrown them.  There's no one left to pass things to. When do they grow up?

I don't really know, but my guess would be little by little, bit by bit.  One day, one moment at a time.

Robin Hood

The boys are participating in their first play.  Robin Hood.  One of the kids in our homeschool co-op wrote it as a comedy, and he did a great job.  It's hilarious!  We had our first read through last Friday, and I couldn't stop laughing.

Ethan is playing a kid being babysat.  It's bedtime, and his babysitter is reading him a story...Robin Hood. Ethan gets more nervous and thankfully, will not have to run around stage much. He will, however, get to participate in the archery competition at the end.

Daniel isn't nervous, at all...yet.  He is playing a kid in the story and a merry man.  He's hilarious.  Such a little ham with great volume.  I knew his extremely loud voice would come in handy! Hannah was going to be allowed to say a line, but it ain't gonna happen.  This I know for sure. Daniel has volunteered to do her line.  Why am I not surprised?

It's going to be great.  I can't wait!

To the dentist we go...

I took the oldest three children to the dentist Monday.  They did great.  Hannah was very impressed with it all.  She especially liked the sucking straw.  The dental hygienist could barely get her teeth cleaned for Hannah sucking her spit out with the little straw thing.  She was very quiet.  Very quiet.  She was finished first, and we went to watch Ethan get his teeth cleaned.  His only problem was swallowing the fluoride. 

Daniel was next.  It was tough to get his x-rays.  He tried to sit very still, but x-rays are interesting and curious boys have a hard time sitting still.  I had visions of what it must have been like for Curious George at the dentist.  I, now, have true empathy for the man with the yellow hat.

Daniel was my only child with a cavity.  I felt like I'd gotten a bad grade on my report card.  Not really.  But I do hate that he's got to go back.  We'll all go back next week to have it filled.  And by all, I mean all.  I really hate carting everyone to the doc's office.  At least he can go in by himself.  He's so big now.

Hannah: The Little Karate Girl

Hannah wants to be a little karate girl.  Not really.  She says she does, but I'm pretty sure she just wants to be like her brothers.  She said she'd like to take lessons if she could wear a princess gown. 

She is so cute when they're in class.  She stands on the edge of the mat trying to do whatever they're doing.  From running laps to push-ups to leg swings.  She tries.  She has a good time, and she watches.  I call out laps for her and Grace.

I try to tell the boys that they'll always be an example to someone.  It's up to them whether they are a good example or a bad example.  My prayer is that they'll try to be a good one.  They have precious eyes watching...precious hands imitating...Grace then imitates Hannah.  Such a cycle. 

Hannah watches the boys, and Grace watches Hannah.  They all watch us.  May the Lord be ever with us.

Adventures in Parenting or Potty Training Gone Bad

All of my kids are potty-trained, except at night, and have been for some time now.  (We're working on the nighttime thing.).  It feels like a new era, and there haven't been any accidents for quite a while.  It's weird and wonderful and very bittersweet.  I don't miss the diapers, but I really miss having a baby around.

Fast forward.  We went to Kroger...all of us, and I don't really like bringing the whole gang with me when I go grocery shopping.  They can ruin a grocery budget like nobody's business.  We had gotten all that we needed and then some and headed to the checkout lane.  Deron took the kids over to the Redbox...all except Grace.  He let her stay with me.  She sat down in the little grocery cart car.  She got out to stand by me.  She sat back down and stood back up.  Uncharacteristic.  Then, she asked me to hold her.

All the sudden, my shirt was warm and wet.  I know she did not just... Yep. She did.  After many a day of no accidents, she had one in the checkout lane at Kroger, and I was alone.  Great.  I didn't know what to do.  It would not have been an easy task to abandon ship and get to the restroom.  Then, I saw Deron and signaled to him that I needed him to hurry and haul the chillins out to the van.  I know people thought I was crazy.  The lady behind me said she had a two-year-old and that she knew how it was.  Then, she saw the other three kids walk up with Deron, and she gave me this look that said, "Lady, you've got three other kids.  Don't you know how it is?"

She's never had an accident in the store.  Of course.  And she's normally very good about telling me when she needs to go.  Normally.

Then, we rode over to CVS for me to run in and grab a few things.  She had just gone all over me in Kroger, and Deron had changed her into clean clothes.  She always says she has to go in CVS because they have to unlock the door for us.  Well, she said she had to go, and we were positive that she was just saying it because she wanted to go inside.  She wasn't.  She wasn't finished, apparently.  Well, she finished all over her new clothes and in the van.  {sigh}

We went home and Grace sat, naked as a little jay-bird, wrapped up in a little Kroger bag.  Good times.

Moral of the story: I'm so glad we bought a carpet and upholstery cleaner.  Some of the best money we've ever spent.