I know you all love a good post about parenting, raising boys, and “tips” that I can throw at you. But today, I just want to note the parenting of late.
This week, my oldest had his first day of school. When I arrived to pick him up, I saw him sitting his seat, paying attention to his teacher. He spotted me standing outside and the smile, you guys. I wish it were acceptable and possible to raise him up like Simba in Lion King and sing that crazy song because man. I was so proud. He made it through his first day ever and ran back to me, smiling.
I have a habit of thinking that my children can all be treated the same, or that they will react the same to certain situations. This is also true in their age difference; I think that my two-year-old should be as “rational” as my four-year-old, but hello. Never ever. Maybe once every few days. But in most situations, they do not react to life the same. That also means they could be different in every way as they get older. And I get to love them through it. I don’t need perfect children. I just need them to see why we’re here.
Finn is 17 months old (WHY), and it’s one of my favorite ages. I am almost beginning to trust him a little more to not fall off of a cliff (exaggeration), but he’s still the baby, so I still tend to treat him as such. He actually says “baby” and that is also a heart melter. He loves to play silly games and be chased around the house. The giggles! Goodness, I could live off of those for the rest of my life.
Side note: My boys are absolutely best friends for life. How do I know? Asa, who is seriously attached to Liam, wore his backpack (for his first day of school in two years) from the moment I left to drop Liam off for his first day until it was nap time that afternoon. The sweetest. They immediately went right back to fighting once they were back together, but I am certain. Best friends forever (or else).
My boys still drive me crazy, but we’ve hit the rhythm. These three boys feel like the magic number, and I actually find myself enjoying time with them. When everyone is little and needy all the time, it feels suffocating to be their mother sometimes. But now that they can take of themselves just a little bit more independently, it’s like I get to come up for air and feel the breeze. I’m not longing for them to be old, but the reminders that the grueling phases of toddlerhood are coming to a close make it easier to just enjoy it. We’ll still be in the thick of it for a few more years, but I don’t mind so much.
Just writing these down to remember. Some day I’ll forget, or the memory of them will be faded. Here’s to keeping it close to my heart.
JANELLE DELAGRANGE 