Banana and the Spazz were comparing how many pushups they can do. (10 each, but 13yo Spazz does "man" pushups, and 11yo Banana does "girl" pushups.)
"That's cuz you're a man!" she retorted.
"I'm not a man, I'm a dork!" he informed her with a big grin.
However, he was being lippy yesterday, so I gave him a smack on the arm, and he play-smacked my arm in return--except it was more of a pat. My rough-and-tumble awkward ball of random energy is learning to be gracious with his newfound strength.
So today I told him: "Actually, I can see that you're starting to be a man. You know how to not-hit your mother. Lots of guys have strength, but real men have self-control."
Shortly thereafter, he walked up with his hand behind his back and a big goofy grin on. This always makes me wary--it could be squished frog road-kill casserole, for all I know. He presented me with a bouquet of lilacs freshly wrestled from our hedge.
Yesterday, at Dave's side of the family, most everyone went out on the sailboat. Grandma, Banana and I were the only ones at home for awhile, and we ended up sitting there talking about what it's like growing into a woman, feeling awkward around boys, and changes she can expect in the next few years. It was sweet and natural and just one of those girl-talk times.
We've basically done attached parenting with our kids. As a result, they find it weird to be left alone without adults, even though Spazz has been babysitter age for a year already. But Dave phoned from work today and asked me out to the new Star Trek movie at the small town theatre, so I planned an at-home movie night for the Rat Pack, and they got really excited about it.
We went on a date! Without it costing a fortune! Without having to try to find a sitter or wonder how the kids are! We knew they knew exactly what the deal was and they would stick to it. They knew they could reach us on the cell phone. For the first time since (I think) before we had any children at all, going out was no biggie.
I expected it to become more work as they grew. It's just different work. How can it be going so quickly? I thought we'd had the sweetest years--newborns, toddlers, learning to talk--but here they still are, and I love my children so.
2 comments:
Oh, I really wanted to see the new Star Trek movie. It has already come and gone from our theater. So, I guess I will wait for it to come out on video.
We went on a real, pseudo-date on Saturday night -- my husband's 25th high school reunion. The little ones were quite put out that we would "ale mange" (go eat) without them. Grandpa survived doing chores with a 3- and 5- year old. Marissa had to work. She stayed in town with Ron's aunt and uncle. She was fine...
Gorgeous post. We are in that same place emotionally and physically and it is lovely.
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