Life Phase: 2020

September Writing Challenge - Prompt #1:

Age

I am very happy to be in my current life phase. Babies were cute and all, but pretty much anything below the age of four was a real struggle for me. Here are some things I love about my kids' current ages:

Eva is five.

Five is a great age - they are still adorable as heck, but they have a little more logic than a toddler. And they still have most of their baby teeth (I confess, the awkward years seem to begin when the permanent teeth start growing in. One day, you turn around and go "Whoa! When did you grow those gigantic cinder blocks?"). Five year olds say really funny things. They still believe that their shoes are what make them fast. They are easily pleased with things like chicken nuggets, dollar store toys, and getting to use their favorite color of plate. 

Eva is enveloped in all of the magical things about being five. She is so proud of herself when she can read or write a word. Her vocabulary is hilarious - I love hearing the words she chooses. I often ask her "Where did you learn that?" The answer is frequently "From Bluey" ("bush wee" is now a regular part of our vocabulary).  

This summer she learned to ride her bike with no training wheels. This has been one of my favorite milestones for my kids! There is something very confidence-building about being able to ride a bike. 

Zoe is seven (almost eight).

Seven is fun because they thrive on independence. They feel good about themselves when you let them do things like pick out their own clothes, cook part of dinner, or ride their bikes around the block by themselves (whilst you sneakily following them in the van. Wah ha ha!) They still believe in themselves and feel proud of every accomplishment.

"Mom! I did half a cartwheel!" 

"Mom, I read this whole book in one day!" 

"Mom, I taped 50 pieces of construction paper to my bedroom wall!"

Zoe loves making cards and gifts for people, decorating for every occasion, and riding her bike. She is learning a lot about friendship. She has a big imagination and is full of creative (and exhausting) ideas. She is also learning how to deal with nerves and embarrassment. She has a big desire to perform - to sing and to dance - but she gets nervous.

She still has the light of childhood in her eyes, and she still believes that she can grow up to be a mermaid.

Daisy turns 11 this month.

Pre-teens have their ups and downs, but there are a lot of great things about this age. They can take on responsibilities like babysitting for short amounts of time or preparing a meal. Daisy thrives when she feels like she's in charge, so I try to give her responsibilities that make her feel like she's in control. 

Eleven is a good "meet in the middle" age. I can find movies and shows that Daisy and I can watch together that aren't too "adult" but also aren't Doc McStuffins or Pinkalicious. She's also starting to take interest in foods beyond kids' meals, so we can go on some fun food outings. Right now she's obsessed with the nuts about berries salad from Zupa's. She's more expensive to feed, but I love going places other than McDonald's!

Nicky is thirteen. 

I honestly can't make any general statements about thirteen year olds based on Nicky. He is not the typical thirteen year old boy. Nicky is observant and ever learning from the people around him (for good and for bad). He watches us so closely, and nothing slips past him!

He has a very good moral compass. He still enjoys things from childhood like playing with Legos and wrapping up in his blankie, but he is also interested in things like fishing, golfing, strategy board games, and literature (he won't actually read the books, he just asks me all about them).  

Nicky is incredibly responsible and conscious of other people's needs and feelings. He asks hard questions, like, "When do I need to get my own homeowner's insurance?" He's very frugal - he doesn't like to spend money, and he frowns on all frivolous purchases. 

Nicky is a miniature Scotty. I am spoiled as it is to be married to Scotty, but to have Mini Scotty in my home as well makes me beyond spoiled. Sometimes I feel like I need to keep Nicky a secret. I can't let everyone know I have it this good!

Another great thing about their ages: 
no one needs to ride in a backpack!