Today I woke up to a 7 year old

I don't know why 7 years seems so much older than 6 when you say it, but it does. At least to this mama anyway.

Today is Aarons 7th birthday. Most of the time he still seems like a little boy. My chubby baby boy. But little things, like two days ago when he decided he was hungry and got up to make his own peanut butter & jelly sandwich - without prompting or instruction! - show me that he's maturing. 

We struggle with things - sometimes I feel we struggle so much - but I have to remind myself that he's just a little boy. It's hard to give him those allowances and still expect him to be grow into a respectful adult. Balance. 

But he's so smart and he has such a kind and sensitive heart. 

Every day I think I'm messing up. I'm not parenting right. But all I can do is what I believe is best and hope that he turns out even better than we all know he is, than we know he can be. 

Happy 7th Birthday, Aaron! 

We love you! 

Elizabeth Grace

Name: Elizabeth Grace

Age: 2 years, 10 months

Favorite Color: Alternates between pink & purple.

Favorite Animal: Cats (see Grumpy Cat stuffy in picture) and unicorns/horses.

Likes: Watching Calliou, going for walks, climbing everything and stickers!

Dislikes: Being told "no".

What she wants to be when she grows up: "A monster".

Weekend mornings with kids

As soon as the sun shines through the blinds, the older kid comes in and climbs into bed to watch tv. Your toddler is already there because she woke up in the middle of the night. You turn on Disney XD and go back to sleep until at some point the older one goes back and forth between waking you up and waking his dad up to inform us there is a bug on the ceiling. 

Both parents acknowledge it and then go back to bed. But older kid won't let up so finally you firmly say "YES! We see it but we don't care about the bug right now! So for the love of all that's holy, please let me sleep some more before your sister wakes!"

5 minutes later said bug falls on your arm and BOTH kids are informing you of the obvious. Awesome. 

SO now you're up. Check the time - 7:30 am. For Gods sake, his long has this been going on? 

You take the toddler to change her night diaper because all she can talk about is apple juice and you have to take her downstairs. When you're trying to put her pj pants back on (because, Saturday) she starts crying because she wants to wear black pants. Ok, so you search the drawers for her one pair of black pants and put them on. You offer to change the shirt too because at this point she might as well be dressed and she whines "Nooooo!". Ok then. 

You go downstairs with the toddler and start the breakfast process. Meanwhile the older one is still upstairs watching cartoons. 10 minutes later he comes downstairs and announces that you need to turn the television to what he was watching upstairs because he's hungry and needs to come downstairs. You roll your eyes and ignore the rude request. 

He continues to inform you that he's starving. You realize you're out of coffee and want to die. 

You serve breakfast. The older child (who is starving, remember?) stares at his plate, plays with the food, fork and chair. He takes an entire hour to eat 1 scrambled egg, 1 piece of bacon and 5 tortilla chips. Meanwhile your toddler eats all her bacon and the 2 chips on her plate  in 10 minutes but leaves the egg and then proceeds to beg everyone else for their bacon. 

Finally after you clear the table and sit on the couch to see if you can rest unnoticed for a few moments the dog starts to whine at you. And then the kids conspire to hit you with the spatula and throw balls at you. 

It's not even 10 am. Oh, and your husband is still in bed. Is it nap time yet? 

What Spring?

What the what?  I practically skipped all of Spring without a single post!  Bad blogger!  Bad!  Seriously - sorry for being so lame.  Sometimes life is just a big ol' groundhog's day.  I know it won't seem like that when I look back on it though!  

So, I don't know if you've heard of this chick Brittnay Gibbons.  She's pretty awesome and I follow her blog, am a member of her Curvy Girl Guide and I read her super hilarious book, Fat Girl Walking.  Well, she wrote a post a few months ago that kind of inspired me to post my own updates.  I'm going to try and post one for each of us, but for now I'm starting with Aaron.  They won't all be the same but then again, neither are we!

Name: Aaron

Age: 6 years, 6 months

Favorite Color: Green

Currently missing: 2 bottom teeth
 
Likes: Watching unboxing videos, playing with Legos, animals of all kinds & finding new and strange cartoons on the YouTube Kids app.

Dislikes: Beef, taking medicine, having repeat meals.

What he wants to be when he grows up: A veterinarian. 

And now for a quiz that's been going around Facebook - I asked him these questions (without prompting for answers) and this is the result:

1.What is something mom always says to you?
Don't be mean to your sister!

2.What makes mom happy?
When we listen to you.

3. What makes mom sad?
When I don't listen.

4. How does your mom make you laugh?
When I'm being silly.

5. What was your mom like as a child?
I don't remember. (LOL)

6. How old is your mom?
100 *laughs* 

7. How tall is your mom?
17? 

8. What is her favorite thing to do?

Take care of us.

9. What does your mom do when you're not around?
I don't know. 

10. If your mom becomes famous, what will it be for?
Being the oldest president in the world. *laughs again* And being rich.

11. What is your mom really good at?
Taking care of us.

12. What is your mom not very good at?
Staying up late.

13. What does your mom do for a job?
Nothing cuz you don't have a job! 

14.What is your mom's favorite food?

Spaghetti.

15.What makes you proud of your mom?
Taking care of us. 

16. If your mom were a character, who would she be?

I don't know! That's a hard question!

17. What do you and your mom do together?
We do lots of stuff together!

18. How are you and your mom the same?
Because we're both young? 

19. How are you and your mom different?
I'm a boy and you're a lady! 

20. How do you know your mom loves you?
Cuz you're my mom and you say it also.

21. What does your mom like most about your dad?
That he doesn't pick his own nose. 

22. Where is your mom's favorite place to go?
Dunno.

23. How old was your Mom when you were born?
15.