Happy Birthday to my wonderful 11 year old Evan!
He turned 11 at exactly 2:13 AM. I told him in his birthday card that his birthday always reminds me of what a gift he is to me.
Eleven years ago, as a newly single woman and a single Mom, I should have been terrified at the prospect of raising a child on my own and having two years of college left to finish on top of it. But instead, I was absolutely IN LOVE with my new little man. He was instantly attached to me, and cried whenever I put him down, even when he was only hours old, so I spent the good majority of those first 6 weeks staring into his beautiful face. Having Evan to fight for made the hard work of those first years worth it. Whenever I felt tired, or like I might not make it to my goal of finishing college, I would just need to look at him to find strength.
And now, when our life is much more stable, I am finding new reasons to look at him and find more strength and patience. I know he is not officially a teenager, but boy howdy does the age of 11 bring hormones, mood swings, and tempers. If I had a dollar for every time the phrase "You just don't love me!" or "You are SOOO not fair Mom!" came out of his mouth, I could retire early. And when I am ready to pull my hair out at the complete craziness of his 'tween logic and view on life, I make myself look into his beautiful brown eyes and remember what a gift he is. And sometimes, when I am really in need of patience, I look into his face and remember the tiny little baby that arrived on October 20, 1998 . I see the little one who brought magic to my heart.
Happy Birthday Evan! I hope the next year goes very slowly, because I am not ready for you to grow up.
Showing posts with label parenting. Show all posts
Showing posts with label parenting. Show all posts
Tuesday, October 20, 2009
Friday, September 25, 2009
Laid Back
We are thrilled to have a laid back weekend ahead. It drives me nuts when I have to spend the whole weekend running from one place to another, cleaning, doing laundry, and catching up on the work I can't get done during the week. The worst part of going back to work in the fall is giving up our relaxed family time on the weekends.
I have some me time planned tomorrow, and I am going to have my hair done. There is nothing more relaxing to me than having someone do your hair. Evan and I are going to church just the two of us on Saturday, and just me and the boys are going out to breakfast on Sunday morning. I am promising myself to spend as much time as I can on Sunday hanging out with my kids. I am going to soak up their sweetness.
My Mom always had a plaque hanging in whichever room was the nursery at the time that had a saying on it that went like this:
Cleaning and scrubbing can wait till tomorrow
For children grow up, we've learned to our sorrow
So quiet down cobwebs
And dust go to sleep
I'm rocking my baby
And babies don't keep
I always pish poshed it in my mind as a child, back when time stretched on forever, and moved at a snail's pace. Now I feel time burning at my heels, and I want to bottle up my kids, keep them forever at a size where they will fit in my lap and in my arms. I wish I could make them stay an age where they will always let me plaster them with kisses.
I don't have forever, but I do have this weekend. And I am going to use it.
I have some me time planned tomorrow, and I am going to have my hair done. There is nothing more relaxing to me than having someone do your hair. Evan and I are going to church just the two of us on Saturday, and just me and the boys are going out to breakfast on Sunday morning. I am promising myself to spend as much time as I can on Sunday hanging out with my kids. I am going to soak up their sweetness.
My Mom always had a plaque hanging in whichever room was the nursery at the time that had a saying on it that went like this:
Cleaning and scrubbing can wait till tomorrow
For children grow up, we've learned to our sorrow
So quiet down cobwebs
And dust go to sleep
I'm rocking my baby
And babies don't keep
I always pish poshed it in my mind as a child, back when time stretched on forever, and moved at a snail's pace. Now I feel time burning at my heels, and I want to bottle up my kids, keep them forever at a size where they will fit in my lap and in my arms. I wish I could make them stay an age where they will always let me plaster them with kisses.
I don't have forever, but I do have this weekend. And I am going to use it.
Tuesday, April 28, 2009
He Sure Doesn't Act Like MY Side of the Family!!!
Charlie is amazing his teachers and me with the creative ways he is thinking of to be naughty at school. They all have a slightly disgusting twist to them, which I am sure is an extra special delight for his pregnant teacher.
His latest installment today involves a toilet. When picking him up from school I heard the words every mother dreads when picking their child up from daycare, "Do you have time to chat a bit about Charlie's day?" Which is polite teacher speak for, "I am SO glad you are here to take this kid home because he was NAUGHTY! And he is making me crazy!!!"
While Charlie was using the restroom today, he thought it would be a good idea to stick his head into the toilet and lap up the water like a dog. And maybe I should clarify here that this idea struck his crafty little brain AFTER he had done some business in the water.
His teacher obviously has super powers, as she managed not to ralph into the same toilet Charlie drank out of. My pregnant stomach would not have been able to handle that.
I wasn't even sure what to tell the teacher after that one. Should I mention that he doesn't do that at home? I am sure she is thinking we have GREAT manners here at Casa de la Kleffman.
Sometimes being the mother of boys is just plain baffling. I mean, what in the world possesses you to do such a thing? When I pleaded with Charlie to tell me why, he looked thoughtfully at me for a moment and said, "Well, there was water there. And the toilet was open. And my tongue told me to do it." Right. Why didn't I think of that?!
He must take after his father's side of the family.
His latest installment today involves a toilet. When picking him up from school I heard the words every mother dreads when picking their child up from daycare, "Do you have time to chat a bit about Charlie's day?" Which is polite teacher speak for, "I am SO glad you are here to take this kid home because he was NAUGHTY! And he is making me crazy!!!"
While Charlie was using the restroom today, he thought it would be a good idea to stick his head into the toilet and lap up the water like a dog. And maybe I should clarify here that this idea struck his crafty little brain AFTER he had done some business in the water.
His teacher obviously has super powers, as she managed not to ralph into the same toilet Charlie drank out of. My pregnant stomach would not have been able to handle that.
I wasn't even sure what to tell the teacher after that one. Should I mention that he doesn't do that at home? I am sure she is thinking we have GREAT manners here at Casa de la Kleffman.
Sometimes being the mother of boys is just plain baffling. I mean, what in the world possesses you to do such a thing? When I pleaded with Charlie to tell me why, he looked thoughtfully at me for a moment and said, "Well, there was water there. And the toilet was open. And my tongue told me to do it." Right. Why didn't I think of that?!
He must take after his father's side of the family.
Friday, February 13, 2009
Driving Alone
Yesterday at school we had parent teacher conferences. Daycare closed before I was done, so Jeff got off work early to come pick up the kids from school.
Which meant that I got to drive home alone. Alone in the car. It NEVER EVER happens to me anymore. I always have at least one or two of the kids in the car with me, but most often it's all three.
When they're not with me? I feel COMPLETELY anxious. Instead of enjoying the wonderful peace and quiet a ride by yourself can provide, I have an overwhelming urge to get home to my babies. I envision the dire things that could happen to me or the kids while we are apart, and I have this feeling I might not see them again. It's not that I don't completely trust Jeff to watch the kids. He is an awesome Dad, and he does a fabulous job. It just feels so unnatural to be separated from them.
Which is probably not healthy. I need to get out more, me thinks.
Which meant that I got to drive home alone. Alone in the car. It NEVER EVER happens to me anymore. I always have at least one or two of the kids in the car with me, but most often it's all three.
When they're not with me? I feel COMPLETELY anxious. Instead of enjoying the wonderful peace and quiet a ride by yourself can provide, I have an overwhelming urge to get home to my babies. I envision the dire things that could happen to me or the kids while we are apart, and I have this feeling I might not see them again. It's not that I don't completely trust Jeff to watch the kids. He is an awesome Dad, and he does a fabulous job. It just feels so unnatural to be separated from them.
Which is probably not healthy. I need to get out more, me thinks.
Friday, October 17, 2008
The First of Evan's Birthday Celebrations
Tonight two of Evan's best friends came over. They hung out at the house for a bit, and then we headed over to Village Point to take in the movie City of Ember. The two boys Evan invited are the NICEST young men. (Although it pains me to admit that they can truly be called young men!). So polite, and kind, and well mannered. It helped that I have known these two since they were in Kindergarten, and one was a former student, but I really enjoyed spending the evening with these three.
I know it is silly, but I was a nervous wreck about this event for weeks. I was nervous about the organization of the whole thing, interacting with the parents, and driving everyone to the right places. I guess it's an outcropping of working where Evan goes to school. The parents of these little guys are wonderful people, but when you start out your relationship in the teacher/parent manner, it is hard to switch over to the more equal footing of a parent to parent relationship. I've always felt slightly outside of the circle with other parents in Evan's grade. I don't think they feel completely at ease with me, and I guess the opposite is true as well.
Despite my crazy nervousness, it all went really well. Got to the theater in one piece, enjoyed what turned out to be a WONDERFUL movie, and got everyone back safely to their respective houses without getting lost (although I have to say this was due in part to the excellent directions of my passengers-playdates are so much more pleasant when your charges are old enough to help direct you!)
It was cute to see Charlie play the part of the jealous younger brother. He tried his darndest to break up the party by sneaking into Evan's room, and begged to get to "go in the car with big boys!" I have such clear memories of my own siblings trying to do this with me when I was little, and it was funny to see this replayed.
Underlying it all though is my complete disbelief that Evan will turn 10 on Monday. I know it sounds so cliche, but I really did blink and he turned from a baby to a young man. Although in many ways I know him as well as I know myself, there are moments lately when we are talking that I feel like I am getting to know a new friend. He is truly beginning to come into his own, with his own feelings, opinions, and thoughts on the world. Watching your child progress through the beginning stages of childhood is so exciting, but as we are starting to navigate through this pre-teen stage, I truly am amazed at the glimpses of grown-up Evan we are starting to see more and more often. It tears at my heart strings more than a little bit too, to see how much of an individual person he is, so separate from me. Young children feel like so much of an extension of you as a parent, that it is like a painful tearing to have them become their own person. It's the goal you work so hard to help them achieve, but at the same time, there is a selfish part of me that doesn't really want that to happen.
I sure wish someone would figure out a way to capture time so I could freeze moments like these with my kids. I love you Evan. And no matter how big and grown up you get, you are always going to be my baby. It's just exactly like the Robert Munsch book says, "I love you forever, I like you for always. As long as I'm living, my baby you'll be."
I know it is silly, but I was a nervous wreck about this event for weeks. I was nervous about the organization of the whole thing, interacting with the parents, and driving everyone to the right places. I guess it's an outcropping of working where Evan goes to school. The parents of these little guys are wonderful people, but when you start out your relationship in the teacher/parent manner, it is hard to switch over to the more equal footing of a parent to parent relationship. I've always felt slightly outside of the circle with other parents in Evan's grade. I don't think they feel completely at ease with me, and I guess the opposite is true as well.
Despite my crazy nervousness, it all went really well. Got to the theater in one piece, enjoyed what turned out to be a WONDERFUL movie, and got everyone back safely to their respective houses without getting lost (although I have to say this was due in part to the excellent directions of my passengers-playdates are so much more pleasant when your charges are old enough to help direct you!)
It was cute to see Charlie play the part of the jealous younger brother. He tried his darndest to break up the party by sneaking into Evan's room, and begged to get to "go in the car with big boys!" I have such clear memories of my own siblings trying to do this with me when I was little, and it was funny to see this replayed.
Underlying it all though is my complete disbelief that Evan will turn 10 on Monday. I know it sounds so cliche, but I really did blink and he turned from a baby to a young man. Although in many ways I know him as well as I know myself, there are moments lately when we are talking that I feel like I am getting to know a new friend. He is truly beginning to come into his own, with his own feelings, opinions, and thoughts on the world. Watching your child progress through the beginning stages of childhood is so exciting, but as we are starting to navigate through this pre-teen stage, I truly am amazed at the glimpses of grown-up Evan we are starting to see more and more often. It tears at my heart strings more than a little bit too, to see how much of an individual person he is, so separate from me. Young children feel like so much of an extension of you as a parent, that it is like a painful tearing to have them become their own person. It's the goal you work so hard to help them achieve, but at the same time, there is a selfish part of me that doesn't really want that to happen.
I sure wish someone would figure out a way to capture time so I could freeze moments like these with my kids. I love you Evan. And no matter how big and grown up you get, you are always going to be my baby. It's just exactly like the Robert Munsch book says, "I love you forever, I like you for always. As long as I'm living, my baby you'll be."
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