Kids Getting Bigger

 I told my kids last night I thought they were getting so big and Cara said “I am still little, Mama” and I said “yes, you are the youngest”, then she said “it doesn’t matter how big I get, I will always be your baby” and she gave me a bigggg hug. So sweet.

 It went well. She did see a few little kisses and a fight but everything else was okay.  I said “did someone kiss you”? and she said “GROSS, no”…lol

80’s Day

 Today was 80’s day at the elementary school. Emma wore her old 70’s outfit (it’s all the same to them) and I assembled an outfit for Cara. Cara wasn’t pleased at first. I said “I was in school in the 80’s” and her eyes got really big and she said “you were ALIVE in the 80’s”…….

Middle Schoolers

  At the elementary school we wait in the car LINE….so everything is orderly and all the kids straight to their parents car..

 At the middle school, we park and sit there. Soon, the kids start walking very sluggishly out the door. They are in groups and seem to enjoy much hugging on the way to their poor parents, who have most likely already been in one car line for an hour or more…hmmmm…okay, sorry, back to topic. 

 The strange thing about this is the fact that even though there is about 500 cars in the parking lot, they do not see them.  I don’t mean they try to be cool and ignore them, I mean, they actually do not know the cars are there. If it is not their car, they do not see it and do not make any attempt to avoid it.  Several times I have looked to make sure no one was behind me only to be shocked as a kid walks right in my path as I back out. It scares me to death, the tween never even notices there was danger.

 Today, I was texting my friends about this very phenomenon and telling Ellie about it, when I say ‘look, this little 8th grader with the cell phone is oblivious to traffic”, then, she walks right out in front of me….she NEVER looks….she is completely unaware I almost ran over her…this even shocked Ellie…

 I texted my friend Kathy about it and she said “middle schoolers just expect everyone else to see them”….perfect quote…so correct.

 I promise I will try very hard everyday to avoid the dazed kiddos….;)

Cara’s Fever

 Cara has been sick. She has had a fever for two days and the result has been a migraine like headache.

 This has sent Emma over the edge. Emma, being the middle child, has competition and jealousy issues. Cara being sick enough to warrant so much attention has infuriated Emma.  She even stuck the thermometer in her mouth before I could wash it in hopes that she will catch the virus.

 She woke up today and said “Is Cara feeling better” but she said it through gritted teeth, ready to pounce into a fit of rage if the answer was “no”… So, no computer for Emma today since the answer was “no” and Emma made the morning unenjoyable for the rest of us.

 Today she found out her class is having a party on Friday for the kids that made their reading goal. They get to wear pajamas (which is heaven to my kids) so Emma no longer wants to be sick.

 Can you guess how this will probably end?

Praying Mantis

 Cara said “mama, there was a praying mantis on the window in our class today”. She said (she was very serious), “I tried to get the kids to be quiet so he could pray”, “he wouldn’t pray because they were being too loud”…I said “Cara, they aren’t really praying”…she said “well, why would they call them that if they do not really pray”?….I tried to explain, but she said “well, they put their little hands together like they are praying”….lol. I think it is fine for her to believe they can pray, heck, maybe they CAN pray, for all I know…..

12 Years Ago Today

 12 years ago today, I got up early to go the the hospital to have a c-section. Ellie was breach so a c-section was mandatory.

 I got the epidural and then had to sit for 4 hours before they put the actual “meds” in. It made my neck hurt but no one cared to listen.  Really scary for a first time Mom. Finally, they took me to the operating room.  The doctor decided to pull out my uterus to show Kyle my ovaries…and I am lying there thinking “what the heck”!! 

 After all of the nurses and the doctor jumping on me with all of their body weight,  they pulled Ellie out.  As soon as they put her beside my face, she stopped crying….

 After all of the terror was over, all I felt was happiness. She was beautiful. I loved her instantly and realized what it meant to love someone more than you love yourself.

 Ellie Grace- I want to wish you a wonderful birthday. That you so much for making my life so happy. You are amazing!!! Love you bunches!!

Middle School

 This has been an adjustment.  Ellie will be 12 next week. She is still so young. She has been tormented in middle school by some mean boys.  They have called her “ugly” and said other mean things.  It is heart breaking to a parent.

 After much prayer by lots of good friends….Ellie had a better day yesterday. Yay! Her teacher moved her away from the bully boy. She didn’t even mind walking in today.

 Life is hard when you have a middle schooler. It is like you have to wait until 3 pm for your heart to get home.

Today, I was taking Cara to a birthday party. On the way we passed a group of girls, they looked about 12…they were riding bikes on a busy street.

 me- oh my goodness, that girl is riding with her hands off the hadle bars…she could get hurt on this street!

 Cara- Well, ALSO, she has on a shirt that shows her belly button…I’ll bet she wants boys to look at her. I will never do that.

 me- I am glad you would never do that because I won’t let you do that.

 Cara- I mean, when I am older..I will never do that. I KNOW that I can’t do that at 6!  That is just not good for girls to dress like that.  Her mother must not have a brain to let her go out like that.

 me- Okay, let’s say, you are home without me and you are getting dressed…you look in your closet and see a shirt that shows your belly button…what do you do?

 Cara- well, I throw it away. I would not wear it….and I know Samantha (cara’s bestfriend) would never do that either.

 LOL! Cara is so dramatic when she talks that is is hilarious. Keep in mind, she has an almost 12 year old sister who I have to set a dress code with. lol…

Good Emma

 My middle child is 8. She is a perfectionist.  I don’t know how she ended up that way. I am not really a perfectionist and neither is Kyle. 

 Today, I received an email from Emma’s teacher saying “only 6 kids did their homework last night”. Evidently, the other kids forgot their homework.  I wrote the teacher back and said “was Emma one of them” and she said Emma forgot her homework too.  I knew this would kill Emma. I knew she would hold it in until she got home and then be a mess.

 She got in the van and said ” I forgot my homework”… then Cara talked (as usual) all the way home.  When she got to the sidewalk, she was huffing and puffing like a wild horse. She was stomping and I knew it was coming.  She sat down at the table and took her fist and started pounding the table, while still getting out her homework.. “My teacher doesn’t like me”, “I don’t want to go to school”…. finally, I just hugged her and she broke down and cried.

 I was thinking “I wonder how she got to be such a perfectionist”?  Then, I remembered “good Emma”..that was her nickname when she was a baby because she was a great baby…I think it carried on until about age 3…but I think we still would say “emma you are so good”.. We didn’t say it around Ellie but she probably picked up on the “good Emma” vibe…

 What if I ruined her life? What if she is going to feel like she has to be “good Emma” forever??  There is nothing I can do now except quit calling her “perfectionist Emma”… I really can’t believe how horrible I must be to label my kids that way….

 BUT- no use crying over spilled milk shake, even if it is the peach kind… All we can do now is be there for her and trust that God made her little personality and he will guide her and save her from any mistakes her parents have made.