Things I love about my kids

Note: this is a post I started and never finished in 2010. I clicked publish and blogger moved it up to today's date and I can't seem to fix that.



We are out of the baby stage for sure and I miss it and am happy it's over at the same time. The stage we are at now is pretty great - our kids are 3 and 6 and they still like us, want to spend time with us, and are still innocent in their perspectives and behavior. Nobody's jaded, they still don't do sarcasm, there's minimla eye rolling. The whining, purposeless crying, and fighting over toys are annoying, but I feel every day how lucky I am to be in this stage with them - before they break away from me completely.

Audrey - I go into her room at night and she smells like kid sweat because she has so many blankets on her. Everyone of her dolls and stuffed animals is tucked in at bedtime. She dresses herself in the oddest combinations and loves how she looks. She sings all the time. She loves to entertain Claire. Lately she talks a mile a minute. She bursts into tears when Claire gets hurt, especially when she has had something to do with it. what is really fun about audrey right now is that she has no front teeth. they are coming in fast but for the last month she h as had this wonderful toothless smile and can't stop playing with that weurd gap. Occasionally she whistles unintentionally and I have been laughing in my mind, not wanting to make her self conscious but recently she noticed on her own and thinks it's pretty funny.

Claire - Claire is a little hot pocket when she sleeps - Mark calls it "baby Chernobyl" because she is so warm - and she refuses to use more than one blanket so around 5 am when she gets a little cold she cries. She tucks in her dolls and animals, too, but they get books for pillows and blankets.


Both my kids sing Mary Poppins songs WITH the accent. And sometimes they break into the accent for a few words here and there in regular conversation: like "strawburries" instead of strawberries.

Audrey Eden turns 12

Audrey is our December baby who should have been born in February. I'll never forget how hard it was to have her born so prematurely, but it's a nonissue for her - besides the obvious drawback of having a birthday so near Christmas.


Sixth grade has been a great year for Audrey. She was nervous to start middle school, but quickly found that there was a lot of fun to be had in a more independent environment. Audrey wakes up every morning, gets ready for school and makes her lunch (chips, applesauce, peanut butter sandwich) all on her own. She enjoys walking to and from school with her friends and is very responsible about her homework. She made the honor roll last term.

Audrey sings in two choirs - Jefferson Middle School Choir and Torrance Youth Chorale. She loves the moment when all the parts and accompaniment come together. She's not crazy about the performances, but they get easier every time. Next month she and her school choir perform at Knott's Berry Farm and she's excited about that.

Audrey takes piano lessons. She practices every day and is trying to challenge herself to learn more complicated music. I won't say she has learned to love it, because it is still something she does because we make her, but she has matured enough to know it's a worthwhile activity. She's proud of herself when she masters a new piece. I love to hear her play.

Audrey is still a Girl Scout - this is her 7th year with her troop. She also just started taking ice skating lessons. This summer, Audrey is going to Great Wolf Lodge with her troop and church girls camp in  Kern Valley. We've sent her away for a night here and there, but a whole week away is a new thing. I'm sure I will be more nervous about it than Audrey.

The pre-teen years can be tough, but Audrey does her best to be a sane pre-teen. She is smart and wise, she observes everything around her and tries to make life better for others. Audrey doesn't get too hung up on friend drama or fashion, though she has experience with both. She has always been a no-nonsense person, practical and careful. I know she wants to do the right thing but doesn't always know what that is. I am proud of her for the way she tries to be so mature - I know it can't be easy and hope that she will be as kind to herself as she is to others.

Audrey is funny, always looking for humor in the mundane. She especially likes to make fun of her parents. She loves a good pun or double entendre. She reads piles and piles of books and loves the fantasy genre. Sometimes we have to drag her away.

You don't always know what's going on in Audrey's head. I know the pre-teen brain is full of insecurities, questions, plans, dreams, and fears. I'd like to get in her head and share all the things I've learned about life, but I know she will have to learn in on her own. For now, I can tell she is uncertain, and addresses that by being reserved. So I love to hear her laugh or dance or get excited about any little thing. I love it when she gets goofy and plays like a little kid. I love it when she gives me a hug or sits quietly and talks to me about her life.

It isn't easy being the first born. Audrey has to put up with a lot of parental mistakes and her own perfectionist tendencies. We are happy to see her reach the age of 12 and know that she is an intelligent and responsible person. Now it seems like our job is changing and most of what we can give her is love and support as she starts making her own decisions. She is a wonderful daughter.