Growth Spurts

Spring has sprung! 

Along with the new blossoms, my kiddos are doing their annual spring growth spurts as well. Seriously, who are these kids? I could take credit for them when they were babies but now they are these zany, funny, and smart, little beings of their own. I love seeing their personalities peek out. They have grown so much and continue to amaze me every day. 

Sienna is doing very well in school. At a recent parent-teacher conference, I was told, “I wish all the kids could behave as well as Sienna does.” Nothing puffs a Mom’s pride more than a comment like that! I was also told that Sienna is coming "out of her shell" and is much more comfortable talking in front of the class and, in general, acting more independent. This is a huge stride for her! She’s horribly shy and anxious at school – probably her personality compounded by three new schools in two years!! Of course, at home is a different story…she’s bossy, sassy and stubborn beyond belief. She drives me crazy but I really do love these personality traits that are so uniquely hers. To give a perfect example, the other night while getting into bed, I said, “Sienna, I’m going to lay down with Grant first tonight because he’s extra whiney.” Sienna responds with, “Do you really think it’s a good idea to reward his bad behavior?” I was stumped. She pays attention to everything and will catch any inconsistency or loophole. She definitely keeps me on my toes! 

As for Grant, he is the same little goof ball, as usual. Unfortunately, his happy-go-lucky personality has gotten rather whiney and bratty lately. A trend that I hope will not continue too long. He likes to cross his arms, make a mad face and yell at me, “I’m frustrated!!” Then he’ll stomp out of the room. It’s so hard to discipline him because his tantrums are actually funny to me. I usually hide my face and laugh. Still, he’s a sweet little boy and brings so much comic relief to this rather serious family. 

Despite the hard days (and there seems to be many hard days), during a snuggle session or when the kids do something to make me laugh, my heart becomes so heavy with love, like a soaking wet kitchen sponge dripping with love, it has no choice but to overflow, producing tears in my eyes. Sometimes I wish I could bottle them and consume at a later date, like when they are mouthy teenagers and I’m ready to wring their necks. Anyway, I want to preserve these moments in something more reliable than my mind. I’m hoping to capture some of that with this blog.

Speaking of, as of this month, I’ve been blogging for a year! Happy One Year, Bloggie! I can’t believe I kept this thing going for a whole year. I can’t believe YOU have been reading for a year! I really appreciate that you check in on us and I so appreciate all the comments. It helps me feel close to all of our friends and family, especially since most of you are far away. So, a big hug to you and thanks!