Growing Pains

Today has been an interesting day in our household. 

The boys, although still wrestling around with each other every time my back was turned, actually spent the majority of the day willingly hanging out with each other. Even their fighting was, for the most part, generally good natured. I finally decided after three long and fruitless years of trying to keep them from beating the tar out of each other that this particular battle is not one that I will ever win. They are usually both laughing and have now resorted to that old standby "Don't break anything. And try not to truly hurt each other."

From the rocky beginnings of that brotherhood, I think that it is evolved nicely. Caleb brought an extra controller for his PS3 and a game that Ayden loves this weekend just so that could play together. They are always together lately and it's so good to hear them laughing (although a little quieter at moments would be nice, but you take what you get. hahaha.)

I realized today that Lydia indeed knew how to roll. I've been wondering for a while if she knew how but I have never actually seen her do it. I usually turn my back to do something and then when I turn back around she's somewhere different on the floor. Hmmm. Curious. Well today I caught her! I have also noticed throughout the last few weeks that the tiny newborn phase is officially over. My sweet baby has turned into Little Miss Sassy Pants. Even though she's still so small, her face is changing too. She has so much personality. Don't get me wrong. Personality is never something Liddy has lacked in. It's just that now she definitely has things she finds are funny and things that she absolutely does not. She keeps me guessing. I'm positive she knows how to say "mama" but still laughs every time I say it. She's a diva and is happiest when she is being adored by droves of attentive fans....as long as they don't touch her. ;) She tightens every muscle and bucks against you holding her while literally growling at you when she's irritated. She has easily definable signs that it's time for sleep. She will eat pretty much anything, but refuses to eat anything that's green. Now that's not to say that she won't eat green beans or peas. It just can't be the color green or she won't eat it. It cracks me up!

Man. I love this girl.

My kids are growing up. 

My son went on his first date while at our house. He has had a girlfriend for "5 whole months", as he told me on the way home tonight, and his dad has allowed them to hang out several times since mid-summer. I reluctantly drove him 20 minutes away, giving him last minute admonishments and running through every worst case scenario I could think of in my head. I dropped him off, beaming ear to ear. 

I had no idea that was going to be so hard.

But I did it. Woo hoo! I climbed the mountain and while it wasn't necessarily a great night for him, it was an enormous step for this mama hen who is inclined to draw all her chicks in close around her. I may have felt like crying as I drove away but I held it together. It might seem too soon to me but I have a feeling that no matter what age it happened at was going to seem too young to me.  It was just time to let him stretch his wings a little.

Too soon he's going to be grown. I hope that I am ready.

I always knew that it was hard to grow up. But I never realized that it was just as hard to be a parent and watch it happen before your eyes. 

I better get used to it. It's going to be a continual process in this house, this thing called letting go. From one to the other, we're watching the evolution of three babies into three adults. 

It would seem that maybe it's a process that might get easier each time. But looking at Lydia's tiny face, I already know that the last one will be the hardest of all. 

Don't grow up too fast, my sweet Bug. :)