This became apparent on Memorial Day:
Youngest son (age 8) was invited to spend the day with a friend and he swam at a pool, played all afternoon, had ribs for dinner and was invited to spend the night as well.
Middle son (age 11) was invited to a 7-hour long birthday party which included a steak and shrimp lunch at a hibachi restaurant, 3 games of laser tag, then cake and ice cream and playing and the pick up and drop off at our house was included.
Oldest son gets on the phone and coordinates a day of bike riding independence with his buddies who all live within a few neighborhoods. They assembled at the top of the hill, rode a couple miles to an outdoor shopping center where he paid for his own lunch out, browsed and played at the Game Stop store, rode to another boy’s house for swimming and playing until dinnertime.
The adults’ holiday day was spent doing errands together. Which leads me to the next change around here:
They are old enough now that the adults don’t have to take them along everywhere.
There are no more babysitters needed for a night out. In the past when out socializing with other couples we have been known to have laughed with a friend who spins a good yarn, “That was a great story but not sure it was worth the extra $10.00 we now have to pay the babysitter”.
On Memorial Day my husband and I found ourselves alone browsing at Barnes and Noble. And shopping at Target. And at Best Buy. I felt like I was on a date. And it was really hard to remember that I had to work the next day. Which leads me to another change around here:
Everyone else in my house but me is on vacation now for about 10-11 weeks.
So my morning and evening routines have changed. I no longer have to get up at 6:20 a.m. to make everyone their lunch and get the kids out the door in stages and then drink coffee quietly alone and then clean the trashed kitchen before I go to work. With everyone in bed till later, this would be a great opportunity for me to get up early enough and take care of myself by walking, right? Hasn’t happened yet. Because I am up late with everyone else who gets to play video games or surf the web or watch movies late because they get to sleep in. And these days one of the kids really likes to sleep in. Which leads me to a new Big change around here:
In less than a week I will be the Mother of a Teenager.
When Oldest son was very young—starting at age 2--he used to stand at my side of the bed and say, “I want cereal” at 5:00 a.m. or so. At a very, very young age we taught him how to get his own and quietly watch cartoons. This same child is now the last to get up in the morning. And I wish the only issue with him now was getting me up too early asking for cereal.
I am old enough to be the mother of some of these cutie patooties I see (Couger growl) but interest in Motherhood began for me later, after I mothered some cats and dogs first. I never really held a human baby until I held my first son. (pause while I dab at the tears).
(me about 13 years ago with one of the two cats and the dogs we used to have and I mothered them well as they all lived very long lives)
My pregnancy and oldest son's birth are on my short list of Best Things to ever Happen in my Life so I find myself blown away this week by memories and changes. When the boys were really little other moms would tell me how they grow up so fast, but at the time I couldn’t see beyond the diapers and bottles and Cheerios. Now, I had better take my Wheaties and get that exercise so that I can be sure to keep up with them.
