Mia is becoming so grown up. I cannot believe she is just weeks away from being double digits - and all that goes along with entering that new era of childhood. She is more and more aware of what she is wearing and has been spending an increasing amount of time gazing at herself in the full length mirror. I feel very contented in our relationship lately. She still seems perfectly comfortable talking with me about anything that is on her mind or what other kids are talking about without their parents ears to hear. While it is certainly trying sometimes to face off with my confident, clever little girl. It is also very rewarding that she isn't easily dissuaded from what she thinks is right and fair. With the ever more difficult piano pieces her teacher assigns, there is always beautiful music flowing through the house.
Lennon is becoming more aware of his skill at comedy. He is such a little snuggler. I especially appreciate it because he wasn't so fond of it when he was younger. At bedtime, I usually lay down with him until he falls asleep. That being said, he is usually fast sleep and breathing deeply within a 5 minute window. Lately, he has been saying, "You can snuggle me as tight and as long as you want, Mommy!" He still loves machines and science and baking and regularly creates his own recipes - some of which work better than others. This week he made a gluten free strawberry oatmeal bar that actually turned out to be delicious! We were playing with some fraction blocks that we had borrowed from our neighbor and I was explaining how two halves are equal to one whole. He stopped me and said, "I know. I understand math, I just want to play with these." I'm always asking him to please not get any bigger and to promise never to leave me, just in a joking way. Most recently, he decided he really needed to explain to me why that wasn't going to work out for me. I really felt like he thought I was a pathetic little child who needed help understanding. This is about how that conversation went:
Lennon: Mommy, did your mom ever ask you to not grow up?
Me: Probably.
Lennon: Did she or not?
Me: I guess so.
Lennon: Did she ever ask you to never leave?
Me: Probably.
Lennon: Yes or no, Mommy.
Me: Yes, I guess.
Lennon: Well, think back to that whole process of when you did leave her. That's what I'm going to have to do. That is what it will be like.
He certainly knows how to put one in ones place.
We are all soooo excited that Shelby is almost done with school. As I type he is at class and after tonight he only has three more class meetings and will hopefully present his thesis project on Thursday barring any more emergency room visits. We are all feeling a chaotic mixture of deep sadness and extreme excitement over our impending move further south. I can't even really fathom how hard it is going to be, especially for me and the kids. However, we are all looking forward to being able to spend more time with family. The prospect of being able to own a home for less than $400k is also pretty cool, I must say.
A couple of recent shots from a hike we went on
Lennon in the Rockery at Ipswich River Wildlife Sanctuary
Mia, with our new downstairs neighbor, Holly, feeding the chickadees out of their hands
