And then the Windows Sparkled

I've just had a whirlwind 24 hours with my parents visiting.  Dad needs to be close to home for the next couple of months, so they came down so he could do some phone repairs for us, because he's very clever with things like that.  We have no clue on earth!  So while Dad fiddled with wires and crawled under the house (he likes that we live on a slight hill, because space!) Mum decided she would clean my windows.

Well.  You will never ever see cleaner, sparklier windows than these.  A little cloudy ammonia, some water, a few swipes and lots of WOW!  So since Mum was cleaning the glass and needed to remove the screens to do those panes I figured I'd clean the screens.  Every time I look near a window, now, all I see is outside.  No dirt.  No dust.  No mould.  Just outside.

My mother is a very funny lady, with a brain for problem-solving.  She happened upon this cleaning method because she was cleaning grout with cloudy ammonia, and she began wondering what it would do for her windows.  Not being one to die wondering, she gave it a go.  And then wanted to bless me with her magic window cleaning potion.  I am definitely the winner.  Her very diplomatic assertion was that cleaning my windows was very satisfying.  I'll bet...some of them were pretty awful.

This is yet another episode in a lifetime of ammonia events for my mother.  I remember, when I was 9yo, and we had not long since moved to Wewak (PNG).  I came home from school one day to find Mum on her hands and knees with a bottle of ammonia and a bread and butter knife, in the kitchen.  She was scraping years of floor polish off the floor boards.  I distinctly remember the acrid stench and that I very quickly left the house and went outside.  But Mum pressed on, because she is not only funny, but also very determined (some call it stubborn, but I think determined is a kinder description to this trait, which she has passed down the line of oldest daughters).  That polish was also embedded with grime and mould, so she did not stop until it was done.  And then she took to caring for that floor properly, until they refinished the floorboards a few years later.

Me?  I'm scared of ammonia!  Hopefully the windows stay shiny for a long, long time!

When to go to the Doctor: A Mother's Guide

My husband's mother had a reputation of NOT taking her boys to the doctor for broken bones exactly 100% of the times they broke bones.  At least not at first.  Eventually yes, but she required convincing.  Inevitably they were given a hot bath and put to bed and told they'd be fine.

I've tried very hard not to follow in those particular footsteps.

There have been doctors who have doubted my mother's intuition, over the years.  For instance, Mr Busy's chest infections.  As a small babe his cold would turn from snotty to infection in mere hours, and I could tell the difference.  It happens with loads of experience, and he spent his first five winters going from one chest infection to the next.  I remember taking him to the doctor one day, the conversation going something like this:
Dr:  Why didn't you bring him in before now.  He's very sick.
Me:  Because yesterday it was just a cold, it changed overnight.  And now here I am.  Yesterday you would have sent me away and said he'll be fine.

Eventually this Dr trusted my instincts so well she was happy to give me prescriptions for antibiotics before we needed them.  If we were going away and he was on the cusp of another infection she would hand over the script and say "I know you'll know when to use it".

On the flip side I have taken Miss Mischief to the doctor because she stopped eating.  Actually I've done that with all of our kids, because these kids are Eaters.  It's genetic.  The whole of Dh's family are Eaters.  I know they're sick when they stop Eating.  And on this day Miss Mischief had no other symptoms except that she'd stopped eating.  The doctor (different to the one above) looked at me like I was neurotic.  I know he wanted to say "Lady, babies stop eating all the time for unexplained reasons".  But he checked her out and lo and behold she had an ear infection.
Dr:  Are you sure she has no other symptoms?  Pain?  Fever?
Me:  Nope.  She just stopped eating.  That's it.  My kids are very sick when they don't eat.

He was dumbfounded, because she should have had pain AND fever, and been very miserable.  And who ever heard of taking their kids to a doctor "because they stopped eating"?

Unlike my MIL I did manage to take Miss Sunshine to the doctor when she broke a toe.  I knew buddy-strapping was the only treatment, but I wasn't going to be reputed with the family "our mother's don't take us to the doctor for broken bones" line.  Yessireee, I put a stop to that one!

Which brings me to our most recent medical event.  This past week Miss Mischief (actually, last Monday) got herself into a spot of bother, due to walking on our gravel driveway, barefooted.  We won't go into the gravel driveway issues and the rubble that spreads everywhere....  She got a stone in her foot and had to dig a little to get it out.  Somehow she was adamant, after a great deal of digging about, that there was still something in there and I was less convinced.  She'd dug pretty deep and nothing could be felt.  I told her our bodies are designed to push foreign objects to the surface and we'd just see what happened.  On Wednesday, after having my mother (who is far more persistent with these things, and who has a magnifying glass lamp thing) dig about they got a bit more out.  While Mum and Miss Mischief were digging about I told her I would take her to a doctor when we got home, if it wasn't out by Sunday.  You know, give the thing a good week to come out on its own, and all that crunchy-mum kinda stuff.  And then on Saturday morning I got a text with the image above.  "In case you're wondering what it is..that's what came out of my foot..." she said.

Maybe I should have taken her before?

But at least it wasn't a broken bone.  And I was right...our bodies push foreign objects out.

Mr Busy = Funniest Boy on Earth

There is a child in my house who does some very strange things.  The said child also loves to bake biscuits (cookies).  Today was end-of-term class party day, a couple of days early, and so last night was baking night.  He was quite intent on ensuring that the girls in his class would have their favourite bikkies, made by his very own hand.  He's so sweet!

But tonight, when I went looking for butter, the picture above is what I found.  On Sunday afternoon there were four 250g blocks of butter.  Now there are three half blocks.  I shook my head, more than a little bemused, and called out for Mr Busy to come and have a chat with me about this.  It began with first, middle and last name.

Mr Busy:  What have I done now?
Me:  Come and look at this? (to which I slowly pointed to each. half. block)
Mr Busy: Uhhhh … yeeeaaahhhh.
Me:  What is this?  Why are there three half blocks?  What did you do? Need 125g, cut half and put half away.  Next time you need butter, grab a whole block, cut in half, put half away.  How many times did you do this?  What were you thinking?  This is what scales are for!!  You get out the bits of butter and weigh some bits until you get to the weight you need, so that you don't use Every. Single. Block.  (with tone of voice escalating as to the absurdity of the whole scene)
There may or may not have been girly slapping at a big strapping young lad at this point.
Mr Busy: (laughing) OK, Mum.  I get it.  I'm sorry…..as he wandered off to his room again.

And then we were both laughing.  Him louder than me.  Because I still have three half blocks of butter.

IT'S THEM! Not me. Or you!

Image Credit

If you're a mum and you feel like you're losing your mind, it's probably because you are.  But not because there's something wrong with you.  Yesterday during my it's-breakfast-time-and-the-only-way-to-block-out-the-noise-is-to-read reading time I was reading Glennon Melton's Facebook page.  I think I woke everyone up as I killed myself laughing.  Do yourself a favour.  Read the post, and then read all the comments.  Make sure you've got tissues and whatever else you need for a good laugh.

If I had Facebook I could have posted about how it's not just littles that make you crazy.  No, it's 19yo's as well.  My 19yo has decided I owe her a MacBook.  I can't figure this one out.  I have given up explaining and just roll my eyes at her now.  And remind her often: "I gave you life, I owe you nothing".  And then I remind myself that when I am away from these people that make my house crazy I am a really nice person.  I don't get cranky or frustrated or yell at anyone to tell anyone off.  No!  I am perfectly reasonable and calm and sweet and caring.  I'm telling you - it's not me. It's them!!  If you feel like you need some solidarity today then read the post and comments.

As I was reading yesterday morning and sharing tidbits with Mr Busy, who just laughed politely, he was putting his hoody on while standing just behind me.  All of a sudden I hear a muffled "this isn't going to work".  I look up and there's a hood over his face.  He had put the thing on back to front.  And I killed myself laughing even harder.  It's been a while since the boy has come out with something funny.  It's like he got to upper Primary and all his funny left him.  But it's still there.  Hiding

Solidarity Mums!  You're NOT crazy.  It's all the them's living in your house being crazy around you.  It's them.  All them!

Panic Stations Everyone!!!

Image Credit

Tasks for the weekend:

• Teach all day on Friday.
• Calm the panicked daughter who needs to write a 1500 word report by Monday.  After doing an ecosystem study.  And it's pouring with rain (Yay, Melbourne!)
• Take Miss Mischief shopping to relieve panicked daughter of the time crunch she's experiencing (please just poke my eyes out now.  Shopping...sob, sob).
• Go out for lunch with a friend on Saturday.
• Help the panicked daughter work out how to use Excel.
• Shop for food (why do we have to do this every single week???).
• Calm the panicked daughter when she has a meltdown about what to write next.
• VACUUM (I need a cleaner!)

You see how this is going to play out, right?  There will be stressing and cranky-pants behaviour going on for the next four days until that assignment is all researched, written and submitted.  And then it will all be over, she'll blitz the thing and get some distinction or high distinction grade, like it was no big deal.

And what will I get?  Her undying love and gratitude, and her admission that mothers know everything and should be listened to exactly all of the times.  All of them. 

Breakfast with Jen Hatmaker

Jen Hatmaker at my breakfast table...via YouTube

I first 'met' Jen this time last year when a friend directed me to her blog and a post about brave mothers raising brave kids.  She had a lot to say about boys, and given I have a boy (my friend doesn't) my friend thought I would find this post of interest.  I laughed long and hard - she's a very witty lady with a sense of humour I 'get'.  That post began our 'friendship'.  I laugh out loud long and hard over Jen's posts quite often.  My kids don't get it, even when I read out what made me laugh.  In the same way they don't laugh as hard as me when we're watching The Cosby Show.  Because they're kids and they don't get humour that is specifically related to  parenting.

The other day I was reading Jen's blog, and a post in which she talked about how she was taking steps to reduce the amount of time she is away from her family and be in her life again.  Wise, wise words.  I had my own moment on Sunday (remember, we just got back from holidays on Saturday?) where I started to panic about something I had said yes to at church.  You know, something worthwhile and important and it was only for six months and no one else has stepped up to lead this group and you would be so good at it.  You know, that kind of thing.  I know you know!!  Anyway, on Sunday I stepped back and prayed about the thing I said yes to and then spent some time with Nehemiah and I was again struck by his response to the people who were deliberately trying to derail his work to rebuild the walls of Jerusalem.  He told those men "I am doing a great work; I can't come down.  Why should the work come to a standstill just so I can come down to see you?" (Nehemiah 6:2-3 - The Message).  Indeed...why should my family, my work and my study suffer or stop because I have been asked to do something that is not within my season to agree to?  God took me out of ministry in a very clear way when I began my degree and I still have a year left to go of this season.  On Monday I emailed the leader of this group and explained all this to her and she accepted my change of mind very graciously. 

All that to say Jen's post really resonated with me in a very personal way.  Again!

Then I found heaps of stuff on YouTube with Jen speaking on different things and so I have been indulging myself in listening to some more of her wisdom and perspective on what it means to be a Christian in the 'West' in our modern lives.

So because YouTube makes these things possible I had breaky with Jen this morning.

In Which Mr Busy Learns to Cook

 

Tuesday night was a momentous day in life on this side of our picket fence.  Mr Busy has officially begun the journey to independent cooking.  He has been baking on his own for quite some time now, and he's been pestering incessantly about cooking a meal.  Well, he's 13 and this is the prescribed year in our Program of Gradual Release.  I decided pasta bolognese is pretty tough to butcher so that's the meal he will master.  I was with him the whole time and instructed him in every step, which he then completed himself.  The only thing that stumped him was chopping onions.  I did  one half to demonstrate and then insisted he would only learn to be independent if he did it himself.  And he did a pretty fine job for a novice.

At some point this week I will type and laminate the recipe and instructions - all of which reside in my head at present.  And then he will be all set to have a go with me sitting on the other side of the bench to engage in some relaxed and more distant supervision.

The verdict?  A very fine meal.  No one would have known a novice had produced it had they not been told and the event celebrated with exuberance and praise.

Sorry there is no spiffy, artistic looking photograph to go with this - I only remembered to take a photo as Mr Busy was putting the leftovers away!

In the Slow Moments

Photo Credit

I learnt something yesterday.  It is good to change pace and just sit with a baby for a few hours.  No homework woes.  No shattered self-expectation.  No rushing about.  No haggling over computer time.  Just sitting with a board book and lifting the flaps over and over.  And the greatest concern one could have is when Mummy might come home.  In this case Mummy always comes home.

We still had homework and computer haggling going on around the place while the Little Man was visiting with us.  But for me, I just sat with a cute little baby on my knee.  He wasn't terribly happy, between teething and yet another day of Mummy needing to be away for a little bit.  But we had moments of pure joy and laughter in between the few grumps. 

In our rushing through life we forget to be still and just 'be'.  Perhaps that's why God was explicit when He said "Be still and know that I am God".  That Psalm (46) talks about all kinds of storms and catastrophes before the admonition to be still.  I have in my mind a picture of turbulence, busyness and rushing about, like the whole of life is on a very noisy fast-forward setting.  And God says "be still" and then "know that I am God".  Let life swirl on in the dizzying way that it does.  But let's choose not to get caught up in it.  Let's choose 'being'.  Let's choose enjoying the moment and being slow enough to hear God.

Today I'm going to take my time through some organising for the week ahead because people still need to eat around here, and I need to be prepared to teach on Monday.  And then I'm going to enjoy the space I have in my day and read.  Or bake.  Or both.

What do you do to help you slow down and just 'be'?

More Camping Out.

All campers are now home safe and sound.  For now.

It's a funny thing, you know.  There are always times when your kids just bug you.  It's inevitable.  I suppose I bug my kids from time to time too.  But when they're away I miss them terribly.  I spent four days wondering how Mr Busy was coping with his camp.  I've spent three days thinking to myself "I wonder how Miss Mischief is doing".  And now they're all back...before we spread out again.

Despite my own recent camping misadventures we are incredibly blessed to have some amazing places to go and explore by spending time in the outdoors.  Appreciating wombats, stunning views, amazing night skies full of stars, discovering all manner of sea creatures, surfing, succeeding, being self-sufficient, pushing through and persevering.  My children have been able to experience some incredible things over the past two weeks.  All within a school that continually points these awesome things out as an example of the God we love and His love for us.

Miss Mischief's camp involve cooking on a tranjia and no refrigeration for food storage.  We had to get creative!  She showed me her menu plans and I suggested some alternatives to suit the food storage situation.  She and her cooking/tent partner did a great job, I think.

Breakfasts:  bacon & fried gnocchi (instead of hash browns); muesli with vanilla Up and Go
Lunches:  2 minute noodles; wraps
Dinners: chicken pasta alfredo; pasta with tinned chicken, and tinned corn
Dessert: tinned fruit and long life custard; Smores cooked in foil on the tranjia
Snacks: Scroggin, Cheese & cracker packs, muesli bars

Meanwhile I continue to hobble with each day being a little faster and less painful that the last.  I have some beautiful shades of blue and purple on each ankle and the arm I bashed at some point in the process of falling.  Miss Mischief hadn't seen that come out, so she was pretty impressed!  Despite advice to try a tent next time I'm sticking with the caravan.  I just know to be more diligent with where to put my feet next time.

The Roller Coaster of Growing Up

Photo credit: wikipedia.org

The past week has been a bit of a roller coaster at our place, between the two girls.  Last week it was going in to bat for a daughter who was struggling with undue pre-exam stress, and being willing to tackle some significant issues with people who are also colleagues.  This week is it the euphoria of the end of exams and the anticipation of being in VCE.  Then the grief of a close friend unexpectedly leaving our school.  Followed by the excitement of all the privileges of 'free periods', access to the VCE common room and beginning the journey with breakfast provided by the new Year 12 class.

Motherhood is difficult when you're watching a precious child suffering with a grief you've known yourself.  Knowing that it will be alright, but remembering that intense pain of the moment.  Wishing you could erase it completely and prevent that pain from ever happening.  These are the realities of life, though, and it is these circumstances that build within characteristics such as compassion, empathy, resilience and the ability to support others.  

In all that has swirled around us this week I have had two real highlights.  A weekend away with a precious friend.  Sitting on the beach and chatting on a quiet Sunday morning was such a relaxing way to spend some time!  This morning, as I past the Year 9 room I looked in and saw tables arranged in a group together in the centre of the room with books weighting down some blankets, which were draped over the top.  The room looked like my house did when I had toddlers!  That traditional-looking indoor cubby house is indicative of the class in which Miss Mischief enjoys her days.  They genuinely enjoy the simple things of life together.

What's your roller coaster been like over the past week?

Gracious Simplicity

Photo credit: nigella.com

I spent much of the day on Thursday with a very special lady and her gorgeously perfect little boy. At one point I suggested that days at home with a happy little person was perhaps a calmer, more sane way to spend a day than my current busyness.  And it was.  It did me a great deal of good, not the least of which was because of a few hours with a precious friend.  

For lunch we enjoyed a quickly thrown-together Thai Chicken Noodle Soup.  It was absolutely delicious and something I think my family will enjoy - I will definitely be serving it to them!  The quick throw-together was by no means because of a lack of desire to put in some effort.  It was simply a beautiful meal that was quick and effortless, and which was permeated with the love with which a good friend cooks.

Unfortunately 3pm arrived all too soon and I had to leave to pick up my own children - a definite change of pace after a six month old!  I came home with the Nigella Feasts DVD.  Which means two things:

1. A few hours of viewing enjoyment - and I have the book so I will transfer some of that enjoyment to meal-time inspiration.
2. I'll need to see my friend again soon to return her DVD.  Not that I need an excuse!  But certainly it'll not be so many weeks next time!  

 Now....for some exam preparation.  I gave myself a few days of down time and now it's time to be a little bit serious to finish off the semester.

 

Thank you, A.  I had the most wonderful, serene day in the midst of all that happens here.  It was a pure joy and blessing to spend some time with you. 

When Children are a Blessing

My precious niece playing with playdough.  Even little people are amazing.

You know you have amazing kids when they let you have a cry on their shoulder and make you a cup of tea.  And then steer clear of you. 

And when your children organise themselves to supervise the inexperienced one when baking, which is required for homework, and leave you out of it, you know you've got amazing kids.

And when they forgive your unreasonable outbursts quickly and seek to comfort you as their response....yep, they're amazing kids.

I had a little meltdown yesterday as a result of pretty severe study stress.  That semiotic assignment I offered up to anyone interested (and no one took up!!!) has come back to bite.  Now it's a unit of work "showcasing what you have learned".  Uh oh.  Fortunately for me the unit coordinator has taken pity on us and provided an example of what the assignment would look like if she were required to do it.  She had fun.  I am not!  But I am managing to get through it little by little with more hope than I had last week!  For the first time I am thinking perhaps a mere pass would be quite sufficient.  Miraculous even.

And for light relief Miss Sunshine and I have undertaken online IQ tests.  She's looked at them because she's doing Psychology at school this year.  Guess what?  I'm smarter than her.  YES!!!!  According to the test I took I'm pretty smart.  I'm not going to try any others, I like the result from that one.  On weeks like this one a girl needs to reminded that she's no dill.

Monday Menu Plan

There really hasn't been very much more going on around here than was reported on Friday.  Lots of socialising on Saturday, some sleeping and reading yesterday, some studying today in preparation for an exam on Tuesday.  Pretty boring stuff!  Then again, aren't our lives about what we live in the 'ordinary'?

Until Sunday's.  Miss Mischief has to be at church early to prepare for her Kids Church group for 3 weeks out of 4.  I take a book and read.....or as is the case yesterday, I chat to whomever it is that happens by.  Yesterday it was two different pastors who asked how we're travelling....are we settled....it's been six months - how are things going?  The whole way through this enormous change there have been various leaders who have checked in with us to make sure we're doing OK.  And they genuinely want to know.  Yesterday one of those pastors provided me with feedback on how Miss Mischief is going with her little group.  Apparently she's going really, really well.  What can I say - Miss Mischief fed the girls smarties on her second week and now the girls love her.  Her girls can't believe that Miss Mischief has a bed time and isn't allowed to watch some of the same shows as her 10yo counterparts.  They share a lot in common - and Miss Mischief shares her faith.

And people wonder why I say that I have amazing teenagers.

My other amazing teenager cooked dinner the other night while I was lesson planning.  And she cared for the needs of her late-arriving father and uncle when I just didn't have the ability to cope with any more that day.  I love the way Miss Sunshine can just step into the gap when she needs to.

The rest of the week will follow our fairly 'ordinary' life of school, work, church activity and meals. Here are the meals:

Monday:  roast lamb, vegies
Tuesday: pasta bolognaise
Wednesday: minestrone, bread & butter
Thursday: honey soy chicken, rice, vegies
Friday: tuna & rice
Saturday:  osso bucco, mashed sweet poato
Sunday: pumpkin & sweet potato soup, bread & butter

I've been enjoying the switch from pasta & rice to quinoa.  Even Dh agreed it was a rather inoffensive approach to grain consumption when he encountered it in his lunch one day. 

Oh, my breaky the other morning in a town just 15 minutes from mine was delicious.  Bruschetta on rye sourdough.  Basil pesto spread on the toast with sliced tomato, finely diced red onion and parmesan cheese.  I really wanted to finish it, but two slices of that bread was more than I could get through.  I think I need to investigate pesto when I head off the grocery shop sometime today.

Meanwhile....breakfast and study are calling me....

Mr Busy ... Still Odysseying a Messy Room

Would you believe that some four years after I first posted about Mr Busy's Odyssey into the world of cleaning up his bedroom we still have issues?  Well...I suppose you would if you have precious little people in your house!  I went digging back through my blog archives because I knew I had posted about this before.  And so I had.  In 2008!  The last post has before and after photos (above is the after!).  His room has changed a little since then but at 5am I don't think he'd appreciate a camera flash waking him!

This time the room cleaning adventure did not begin with a mother going off the deep end about having to clean up that room.  Again.  I think I've figured out that his messes get overwhelming and even I can't fathom the idea of doing it on my own.  Yesterday's adventure, however, did begin with a very whiney boy bemoaning the fact that he'd lost a padlock he needs for a class event today.  I brushed him off first thing in the morning with "I'll deal with that later"....and so we did.

Before I go on, you must know that a few days ago, when he was searching for this elusive padlock, I had said "It's probably under all the rubbish in your room.  Go and throw some things out and  you'll find it".  His response?  "Oh no Mum, there's nothing to throw out in my room."

Oh.  My.  Goodness.  If that's "nothing to throw out" I'd hate to see his idea of what rubbish really is.  Seriously, the boy collects rubbish like I collect thimbles!  We threw out 3 bags and a big box of rubbish, plus an old broken school bag and a few other boxes that didn't fit in the bags.  And after we finished putting things away and throwing things out I vacuumed.

Is there anything more satisfying than an expanse (however big or small) of beautifully vacuumed carpet?  I think not.

And I found the padlock.  Under the rubbish.  Right where I said it would be.

This time I have no such dream of Mr Busy maintaining a clean room.  Perhaps this is one that will need to be handballed on to the poor woman who ends up marrying him.

Game On Day

The week has flown by so fast before I really realised I haven't posted in a while.  And when I signed in to Blogger everything had changed!  Isn't that the way of things?!

Tuesday was a completely full-on day - but so inspiring in so many ways.  The day began with leading staff devotions at school.  Tuesday is normally one of my days off but I had to prepare for the afternoon so I just took my Uni stuff with me and stayed put for the day.  I always find it completely nerve wracking when I lead staff devotions.  There's something about sharing with your peers (most of whom are more educated and experienced than I am!) that is quite overwhelming.  I try and remember that we're all at some point along the same faith journey and I have something valid to share with those who are further behind me on the road.  It helps a bit.

In the afternoon I taught our Yr 3/4's for a dance and drama assignment I have to turn in at the end of the Uni semester.  I had to video about 20 minutes of the lesson as well.  Miss Mischief took control of the video camera so I didn't have to worry about it at all.  The children were wonderful.  Everything went exactly as I had it planned and I think we all enjoyed ourselves.  I was again reminded how much I love teaching and how far away the end of my degree is!  I feel like I did with my 3rd pregnancy - I didn't want to be pregnant I just wanted the baby.  I know I need to learn more but I feel quite impatient!

I'm back down to earth now.  Dh brought home a new vacuum for us so I've put it to good use already.  I've got an afternoon scheduled in Mr Busy's room to deal with the pig sty pile of stuff under his bed.  I believe there is a padlock he desperately needs hiding under there somewhere!!!

The March of Motherhood

Photo Credit:  annegeddesbabypictures.com

I was reminded, today, that the years of Motherhood march by all too fast.  One of my very dear work friends came in today with her hubby and newborn son.  Oh what a sweet little boy he is - perfectly handsome and just absolutely gorgeous.  A reminder of what my own children once were.  I remember being in the middle of those baby and toddler years and thinking they would never end.  Indeed it was eight between welcoming our first child and the last one heading off to school.  Eight years is a long time when you're in Motherhood Peakhour!

But this little boy made me think I could just watch him sleep in my arms all day long.  And I looked at my own little boy standing beside me, nearly looking me in the eye and wondered how on earth he'd managed to do that?  When did that happen?  And who said he could go and grow up on me like that?  I still remember to stroke his soft smooth cheeks every now and then.  Before they get all prickly with manliness.  Don't get me wrong - I can't wait to see what kind of man he grows into.  But Motherhood just flies by so fast.

Enjoy your beautiful little boy, A.  He is so very precious and just perfect.