Growing Pains

It has begun...

I finally stoped procrastinating, and I pulled out Aiden's baby clothes...obviously many were Connor's, but some were specific to him as well.  He is turning eight, and as I did with Connor, his baby clothes will be cut into squares bordering a pure white quilt with this little outfit at the bottom corner, delicately appliqued on.  We took Aiden home in this outfit.

Aiden will be baptized soon...and I should be a busy bee accomplishing this tedious task of hand stitching and shedding tears.

Yes, it is true, many tears are shed as each outfit is pulled out and vivid memories of his tiny body wrapped snugly in each piece come to mind.  How fitting that those same clothes will wrap snugly around him again when this quilt is complete!  It is hard though...I did this 2 years ago with Connor, and the time for Aiden's quilt has passed like a thief in the night.  It feels much like it did as I bore my babes.  They came one after another...I have been stitching with hands of love for them their whole lives now.

Speaking of Aiden...

there is a reality to the 7 year old he is right now...only a few more days at 7 though!!!

I struggle to get him to sit still and do his homework.  He is brilliant, and has grown in leaps and bounds this year, but his body is always doing something...and there are times I can't even locate him.  From roller skating in circles around the dining room table, to jumping like a ninja from couch to couch, and then today...as I looked for him, I found him on the treadmill, walking at a slow and steady pace as he tried to write the answers to his math page against the statistics screen.  HE CAN'T STOP!!!  So, instead of repeatedly yelling for him to start, or finish homework, after giving up on the timer methods, and after threatening him with a month of lost games, I threw in the towel.  I went to my room, curled on my floor with my uke, and started learning a song.  Soon after, he was right beside me, asking to learn with me.  He did, and then proudly declared, "I'm using my free homework pass!"  All I could think was, "Dear child, i wish you woulda said that 3 hours ago!!!"

As I was cleaning tonight, I came across a tiny detail which he had dome in lieu of homework.  He took a magazine and cut different mini body parts of figures, and created on little body that he tucked on my recipe book stand.  My heart smiled, my Aiden, my ever moving and creative Aiden...you are quite the child to put a smile on any one's face.  

You ran into a pole at school today....again!

I received a phone call from the school nurse today...again!

Yes, you are ever moving...sometimes a little too fast!

My heart was sorrowed for you yesterday, however.  You hopped out of bed, thrilled to go to school.  I was confused, but as you placed your tiny replacement hand me down Wall-E back pack with a broken zipper on your shoulders you exclaimed, "I hope I get a new back pack today full of goodies and supplies!"  I was confused and asked what that was about.  You said they were giving out backpacks to the kids today!  Connor, in his articulate words exclaimed, "No Aiden, only one kid from each class will get something."  Aiden's head fell in sorrow as he said, "I'll never get anything then..."

And off they went...to what I thought was a half day of school...

I was a good Mom yesterday...even took the girls outside to walk and meet the boys at noon.

Strangely, we were the only people making our way to school.  I checked the calendar on my phone and my heart sank....again.  It was May 8th. and the FIRST Wednesday of every month is a half day...grrr.  I didn't even pack lunches, knowing they'd be home in time to eat with us!

Then, to make matters more complex, I received a phone call from the school, "Crystal Fultz, this is the school calling to tell you that your son CONNOR won the BIKE in today's drawing!"

Oh dear...

I was thrilled for Connor, but sad for Aiden...all he wanted was a back pack!

Connor, in his kindness, got home with his cool new bike and gave Aiden his pretty awesome old bike.  Aiden was thrilled.  I guess they work it out on their own...and all I continue to do as a mother is worry about each and every one of them.

I don't want them to hurt.

I don't want them to compare each other.

I don't want them to cry...

But I know that some days, they will hurt, they will compare, and they will cry.

On those days, I need to be present as their mother, to lift them to the high ground which I envision them upon.  They are such beautiful children to me...

each and every one!!!