When Was The Last Time...

So, I am at a very odd stage of parenting right now.  Yes, you feel this at just about every stage of parenting but usually it's either expected or you can find one of many articles talking about what people wish they had been told about parenthood.  This is more an observation that I made recently that (honestly) gave a slight panic attack to this full time, fully invested momma.

When I first had AJ it took me a while to get to know his cries and noises and whatnot before I could pull the mommy magic trick of knowing whether he was tired, had a wet diaper or wanted to be fed…from two rooms away.  (That was always a fun one to pull on people.  The look on their face was priceless).  In our townhouse, AJ would nap as long as the A/C was running.  I knew once it cut off I had about 5 minutes before he was up.  Ryan was, and in many ways still is, more expressive than her brother so I caught on to her a little quicker.  Though it took me a couple months to track her fun trick of not pooping for a couple days and then making up for it on day three, I called her an Olympic Pooper.  I knew to dress her in an extra layer on those says.    You are so keyed into your kids that you know what time it is by their cry.

Fast forward about 5 years…
Present Day…

Over the past few months, I had had this thought once or twice, "huh, I don't know when that was", it was fleeting and didn't make much impact.  Then one day about a month ago, as I had this thought yet again, I realized that I had no clue the last time either one of my kids had gone to the bathroom, at all!  (Not the shocker you were expecting I know).  I knew if we are out somewhere and they needed to go but AJ opts to go into the mens room more and more and Ryan flat out refuses to let me in the stall with her.  I had known everything about my kids bathroom habits for so many years that I was sent into a small panic when I realized it had been months since they announced to me they were going to use the restroom or asked me to sit with them or…well you don't need to hear everything.  Of course it was Ryan that was still doing these things but being aware of her made me continue to be aware of AJ, as well.  Though, it also made me finally realize how long it had been since AJ had stopped announcing these things.

I actually felt like a bad mom for a moment. How could I not know when my kids used the bathroom!?  When you've spent 5+ years planning your day around whether or not your kids are going to need to poop while you are out (ok, that sounds extreme and is not actually true) to one day realize that you have no clue when the last time they were even IN the bathroom let alone used it…yeah, I had a freak out battle in my head.  What if something was wrong?  How would I ever know!

I quickly talked myself down from the ceiling and straightened out my hair so I could think rationally about the situation.

Isn't this one of the things that I had been waiting for…for years!  Over the past months hadn't I been telling Ryan over and over that she didn't need me and that she was a big girl and could do it herself?  Hadn't I reminded AJ over and over that he shouldn't leave his shorts in the hall outside the door (this I will never understand) when he's in the bathroom. I guess they do listen to me, sometimes.  When your household is finally diaper free it's amazing, but you still aren't completely out of the dark because potty training can have it's…shall we say, set backs, at times.  Eventually there are no accidents and you settle into the new norm of self sufficient toilet users, but you are still a mom, the kids are still young and you are still in the bathroom with them…you know, cause they are short and have no fear of germs.  You certainly don't think about the day they don't need you and you aren't in the loop anymore.    Just like that, another milestone has long passed, without you even knowing when the last day occurred  or that is was something to look out for.  Just like that you realize your kids are growing up and there is nothing you can do about it.

Eight years ago I never would have guessed that my children's bathroom habits would be such an emotional time for me.






Today I am thankful for milestones.
 

The Last Few Months...

It's April 1st, which in my head equates to less than two months before AJ turns 7, yes, SEVEN!!  Looking back, I have done my classic 'stop blogging for months on end' trick, yet again.  Although, this time I have thrown in a couple random posts about who knows what.  My last informational post was Ryan's birthday, but even that was before her party so it didn't contain much.  So I shall attempt to catch you up now.

OCTOBER (end)…

We picked out pumpkins at the pumpkin patch...   

...and carved our family pumpkin.

 We had a party for Ryan for her 4th birthday (it was her first party since she turned 1)

It was a princess theme (of course)...

and Pirates for the boys :)

My mom made the castle, cutout and the 'throne' Ryan is seated on (above).

I made her a castle cake, because I love an excuse to make a fun cake!

NOVEMBER…

For Thanksgiving we took a week and a half trip and headed north.

First stop was South Carolina to visit the Pampalone Family

                                       

I got to see this chick.  It had been way too long since we had seen each other!

The kids all got along instantly like they had been playing together their whole lives.   

Falls Park in Downtown Greenville

 We took a drive up to Asheville, NC for a day and drove along a bit of the Blue Ridge Parkway

 We stopped and took a hike on one of the trails. The kids loved it!

 AJ led the pack most of the way.  A true outdoorsman.

Museum of Life and Science in Durham, NC.

The kids loved it and it was a great addition to our homeschool curriculum this year.

Outer Banks, NC for Thanksgiving.  

Spending the holiday with Jasey's sister and her family.

Cold enough to leave the milk outside for 3 days. 

 Smile!…seriously Jasey...

alright, lets take creepy one…yep, good...

 much better :)

 Roanoke Island Festival Park in Manteo, NC

The first English settlement in America. Woohoo!, more homeschool disguised as fun!

Algonquian longhouse...

a dugout canoe...

 Ryan working the spindle...

 AJ protecting the settlement...

 that stuff was heavy!

 she almost fell over trying to put on the chest plate...

 checking out the Elizabeth II...

 a tankard of mead...

 Civil War getup...

 Holiday lights, Outer Banks, NC

 Wright Brothers National Memorial, Kill Devil Hills, NC

On our last morning I walked to the beach and took a stroll along the water.

It was cold but worth it.

DECEMBER...

 Family holiday picture at the mall

 Our best results from trying to get pictures of the kids...

                                        

Family pic Christmas Eve...

Me and Marsh...

 …and Ma!

 Camping at Lion Country Safari

petting goats... 

 mining for gems...

 Ryan got a purple one...

 Kirby wasn't allowed to go with us :(

but he had fun at mom's with Milo, Oliver and Penelope. Marshall and Deri were out of town too.

JANUARY…

For Ryan the New Year meant starting to learn recital routines.

I got to see this woman again in Orlando 

Twice in three months, wow! 

 walking around Downtown Disney :) 

we'll see what the future brings...

 I imagine this is what Nene and I would have looked like if we had known each other when we were 4 years old.  :)

 group photos...

Jasey in Montana, snowboarding for the first time.

He is hooked.

 While he was gone we had a sleep over at Momah's

with a bonfire!

FEBRUARY...

 Ryan 'fishing'

 a 'sleepover' on their bedroom floor

 a fun picture in a cool tree...

 finally remembered to take some head shots for this school year

Look at all those missing teeth!

 gorgeous smile, crazy hair

 :)

 I never get enough of Kirby so I made a point to get him in there

 The night we fit 6 people in the Jeep...

 Sunflower cake for Mom's birthday, made with Peeps!!

MARCH...

Little leprechauns...

 More homeschool trips,

Gumbo Limbo

 South Florida Science Museum

 Finally, another lost tooth, number six.

So there you have it, the last 5 and a half months told through pictures.  Hope you enjoyed it!!

Today I am thankful for a family that can endure anything together and only comes out stronger on the other side.