Saturday, December 14, 2013

10 and 12

It seems so crazy to me that I now have two children over the age of ten in the house. Soon they will be teenagers. And then soon I will have three teens at once...I must be resigned to the fact that my house is always going to be loud, no matter what. That is until they all start moving out. How sad that will be!





Kai turned ten last month. He was quite excited! It's funny how your 10th feels like it should be important. Really, there is nothing amazing about it. No real change happens. But there's that slight feeling that makes it feel different. After all, you're now a whole decade old! In a new age bracket! Closer to being a teenager, and less a 'child'!

Kai invited five friends over for pizza and snacks (one couldn't come) after school to celebrate. And I determined that grade five boys are just as loud as grade five girls are! (I remember Abi's sleepover with her friends in grade five and Hunny and I were thinking it was chaotic and noisy! It surprised us just a bit!)  I was impressed with the friends that he chose to invite. One was a boy that is new to the school (moving from back east) and also Autistic. That is, I think that is what he has, I do know that he receives help from a EA in the classroom. He is a fun boy, one who gets excited and loud and hard to calm! (much like Rhys!) Kai also invited a friend from church, which was nice. They've known each other for six years, and they are very much alike, and hang out together every Sunday, so it's great to see that he wants to extend that friendship outside of church. I like seeing this kid outside of the church setting too because he makes me laugh; he is the pastor's son and is loud and bold and has such a fun personality.  Maybe I expect a pastor's son to be quiet and mild-mannered (I must've met many like that) and that's why I love that this kid isn't. It was fun having him here; and I loved how that despite not knowing anyone else (since he doesn't attend the same school as we do...although he did know David, Kai's BFF, from our JRCC Summer Camp program) he fit in just perfectly with everyone! The other friend he invited was a rather last-minute invitee. As in two night's before the party! I was impressed that they were allowed to go with that notice! And I was laughing that I didn't get any comments from the parents...after all, this friend was a girl! This is the second time that Kai has invited Sarah to his party before; the first time was two years ago when he went to  a Tae kwon do club. She was the only girl, just like this night! He and Sarah have been in the same class since grade two and I admit that she's growing on me! I think she is a strong girl, and I admire how she can be girly yet hang out with the boys just as easily also.  I'm sure Kai must 'like' her, but he doesn't make it obvious; he treats her like he does his guy friends, and that makes me happy too. We shall see what happens to these two as they get older! :)  The last guest was his best friend, David, who stayed home from school the two days prior to the party just so he wouldn't be sick and have to miss out! (you've got to give props to the kids ---and the parents--- who choose party plans over school importance. hahaha.)

They ran around the house and attempted to play Manhunt, but it got too dark and the pizza was getting cold. So we convinced them to sit and eat and open gifts. Then my Hunny corralled them all into the van and took them to play a few games of Laser Tag! :)

All in all, I think he enjoyed his birthday!




For Abi's birthday, she also invited five friends, but only two were able to make it. She has surprised me; it's been an interesting year so far. In September, she was without her two good friends (her best friend moved to Korea and another was in a different homeroom class) so she was pretty lonely and miserable. By the end of October, things had changed. She met up with her old friend and made two new friends (two new girls in her class) and things were much better. But then things changed even more when a month later, the five friends she invited weren't even friends that she had hung out with any before! That is great news, but surprising. Apparently she doesn't hang out with her friends from October anymore, she now has different friends, which is okay because people change and interests change (especially at this age) and both girls moved on to different friends (who also happen to be in her class) ...wow, was that a long sentence or what? My mind is all mushy!




Abi just wanted to go swimming with her friends, so she and two girls went to the pool while I watched and wrote for two hours. Then we went back to our house, where her one friend was picked up by her father (she couldn't stay) and Hannah and Abi stayed up all night with a sleepover! Hannah is new this year, but I'm not too sure where they lived before (although her mother is from Sweden originally. She still has a slight accent, so I wonder how long she's been in Canada.) She also has asthma and allergies, so she and Abi have that connection, although she has to carry an epi-pen because of anaphylactic allergies to peanuts. That made me a bit nervous, so we hid the peanut butter so Bryn wouldn't get into it first thing in the morning (like he usually does for breakfast....that made a very long morning for him! all he could think of was that naughty and forbidden peanut butter on the top shelf that he couldn't get at.) and I scrubbed down our table,  just in case! 




It is good to see Abi so happy again, and feeling confident with her friends. She is a great girl and a sweet, giving one, and there is no reason to not like her. Not that she has no flaws, just that she is that caring and respectful.  She is going to be a good teenager. Not because Hunny and I were (we didn't sneak out or have bad friends or got into trouble) but because of her personality.  My MIL was telling me how she calls these early teen years the "Bitch Years". Now, first off, I hate the name "bitch" to describe anyone. I find it degrading and just a terrible name to call. A bitch is a female dog. Girls are not animals. Some act like out of control tantrum-y toddlers, yes, but name calling has not seemed to help 'straighten them up', has it? I try to laugh off her title, but honestly, it makes me uncomfortable. I don't think we'll have any troubles with Abi at all. As for hormones, with crying and anger and frustration, yes that is going to happen. She can't help that her body is fighting itself and growing and flowing with hormones that have never effected her before. I hope and pray that I may help her go through those moments with grace, peace and understanding.

So two kids over the age of ten. Three more to go! Time goes by fast sometimes. (just not in those early infant to toddler years. Those take forever!)

Sometimes I feel OLD.

Sometimes I LOOK older than I feel.

I don't know which is worse. But it sure is weird when it starts to sink in that you are the parent of a child almost in high school! You are now, For Sure, "the mom"!  Soon every one is going to be calling me "mom" also! I'm going to gain all of my kids' friends as adopted children. And as much as I was a mom this whole time, and as much as having a house full of  family and friends makes me happy, it's just that it suddenly hits you that you are no longer young, but an "old mom"!   I can't hide that fact now! And that takes a bit to get used to.  I mean, I remember when I was Kai's age, and my own mother was my age!  But hey, I am the Coolest Junior High Mom! There's something in that, at least!

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