Sometimes I'm amazed at how smart my children are, sometimes I can't believe how insane they are, and lately I'm amazed that I'm still as sane as I am.
Andi is trying to be so grown up these days. She has always been pretty independent, but recently we've reached the point where she thinks she can do everything herself. Like climbing on the kitchen counters to get a cup down for a drink, a glass cup of course because she has decided she's careful enough to use a glass cup now. She has mastered the two-wheeler, starting, turning, braking, all without a single injury. That might be because she wears a helmet, knee pads and wrist guards when she rides. And that is at her insistence, not mine. She's terrified of falling off and scrapping her knees. But now that she can ride without training wheels, she thinks she should be able to ride out around the block by herself, because she sees other kids on two wheelers all the time riding by themselves. She has a calendar white board that she fills in all the time with things she is going to do that week. It really bothers her when I don't go along with everything she's written on the board. But to be fair, she doesn't run her event planning by me before she writes it down either. She asks me all the time to teach her big words, and then she actually uses them. She loves to color and do crafts and paint. She also bosses and bullies Sammy constantly.
Don't worry, Sammy holds his own against her. She takes something, or get's in his face and tells him no, or something equally as frustrating to Sam, so he hits, kick, or throws something hard. Then there is crying, everyone is in time out, which leads to more crying and banging on bedroom doors. Eventually I let them out and everyone hugs and apologizes, and some days it's not five minutes before the cycle repeats itself. Sammy is starting to fight back verbally now as well.(no, stop it, mine, let go, go away.) He's talking so much more now that I'm still surprised at all the new words he uses daily. We have full on conversations now, which I thought was never going to happen. Sammy loves cars, and planes, and basketball. He's just such a boy. Always climbing and running and jumping off of things and throwing things. It's a rare moment when he'll sit down for a story, or even a tv show. He loves to ride his tricycle, and wear his swim suit(whether he's swimming or not). He's become a little OCD lately, especially with his lunch/nap routine. Everyday he asks for macaroni, and everyday we read the same curious george story before his nap, and he has this whole routine I have to do before I shut the door. Hugs, kisses, eyes(eyelash butterfly kisses), nose(Eskimo kiss), then another hug. He will not go to sleep unless we do it all. If I leave off the last hug he sits there and yells "HUGS!" until I come back. When he's not being a terror, like right when he get's up, or if he's hurt himself, he's very cuddly.
When they are screaming at each other and fighting I can't help but feel like I'm failing at my job, but every now and then when they are building a fort and giggling together I think maybe I'm doing okay.
Andi and I had a fun conversation the other day.
Me: "Andi, did I tell you that Uncle Bobby is getting married?"
Andi: "To who?"
Me:"Remember his friend Kelsie?"
A: "Yes. (long pause) When they get married is he gonna kiss her?"
me: "Yes."
A: "That's yucky. When they get married is he gonna live with her?!"
M: "yes."
A: "That's weird. Why would he do that?!"
M: "Because he loves her."
A: "He still doesn't have to kiss her."
Let's hope she keeps this attitude for a good long while.
