Miss My Blog

For some reason I have had a hard time getting back in to writing my blog every night.  Somehow it feels like this big thing that I have to do, though it never felt big when I was actually writing it every day.

I still wonder during the day “will this be what I blog about today?” And those things are really simple things.  Something funny Jack said, something that Owen did that made me smile.  A small event that I wanted to remember.

But recently there have been bigger things that I have wanted to write about – like Lauren graduating from High school.  And I feel like if I blog about something else first then it diminishes the importance of the “bigger” event.

But today I must just write something about today – and try to go back the other days later….

The last two days the boys and I have hung out with my three nieces.  Just to take them to the pool, I had to borrow a car that would accommodate six people.  And though the monkeys are small, they somehow take up more room than an average adult because the carseats are so massive…

…anyway – it was so fun to hang out.  We went to the pool and Hannah and Sarah played for over an hour in the the water with the monkeys.   Owen and Jack climbed all over them and made them play games that involved swinging and throwing and other very tiring things.  Finally the girls got out saying that they needed a break.  I was quite impressed that teenagers lasted so long – much longer than I do… 

Lauren and I hung out while she worked on some thank-you cards.  I was so proud of her “pre-writing” the cards on a blank paper first, to make sure she said just the right thing.  And laughing when I suggested she write her letters taller than a millimeter since the majority of they eyes reading the cards were older than 17 (only slightly older – right?) – and then practicing writing bigger.  I told her that she didn’t need to write a card to our family, but she gave me an appalled look  - apparently she didn’t think I could speak for Eric too – he might like to read the card Aunt Julie!!  I love that girl.

It is strange hanging out with teenagers when you are a mother of 4 and 6 year olds.  The girls are funny and respectful (to everyone but each other anyway) and so kind to the monkeys.  And all of their conversations were normal teenage conversations.  But for some reason every topic they brought up was horrifying to me as a mother. 

1. The idea that some of their teachers are “cool” and some of their teachers are “clueless” or “so lame” or are “awesome because we get them to talk about something off topic so we don’t have to learn anything during class.”     (my kids still think teachers are “the smartest people on the planet”)

2. Or the fact that some song lyrics make you want to change the station.   “did you hear that??  That song line was _______” (ah, let’s not repeat that guys!!!)

3.  New definitions for “adorable” and “hot” and “totally awesome” (my kids thoughts: babies, an oven, lego star wars)   (nieces: boys, boys, boys)

4. Or the idea that their parents could be (gasp) not perfect.  (although I think Owen might be on to me there already…)

I don’t know how parents have teenagers and young kids in the same household.  How do you allow the teenagers to have  a voice and also not allow them to speak in front of the younger kids?!?

I loved hanging out with my nieces, but I  am so not ready for my boys to be teenagers!!