This summer is going by in a flash. It’s all swim lessons, soccer, traveling to see family and using every last ounce of energy to keep up with my boys.
While watching a recent soccer game, a Mom who also has two boys on our team commented on how parenting boys is so much fun. She is completely right. Initially, I thought I would be better suited to parent girls. Who knew I would love to watch my boys tear up a soccer field? I certainly didn’t.
Could you imagine if I had been given the ability to create the personality of my kids? They’d have been quiet, easy-going and calm. Their nicknames could have been Zero Speed and No Puzzle (most boring blog ever!).
I’m so glad it was out of my hands. Thankfully, even though they challenge me in many ways, they are exactly who I was meant to have.
Our Memorial Day weekend started off innocently enough. We made good time, the boys were on their best behavior and I was on my way to see Winter the dolphin.
Winter’s story had deeply inspired me and I was looking forward to seeing her in person. Well, after over four hours in the car and the last hour stuck in heavy traffic, my dreams of seeing Winter slowly began to splinter. Mad Dog powered through. He pushed me through my cranky disappointment and ignored my snarky remarks as we rode the seemingly never-ending trolley to Winter’s aquarium. We made it with an hour to closing (paying full fare of course!) and raced to find my dolphin.
It was love at first sight. She is the sweetest, kindest soul and I could have contentedly sat and watched her for hours. T.Puzzle and Full Speed took one look at her and turned promptly to Mad Dog, “Where are we going next?” they demanded to know. While I watched Winter swim lazy little loops, Mad Dog ran at warp speed from one corner of the aquarium to the next trying his best to keep the boys entertained in the tiny space.
Overall the boys were champs and I got to spend time doing something that I really wanted on our weekend getaway (a rarity as a mother of super active boys). All was redeemed when we headed to the beach that night and the boys tried mightily to chase away all the birds.
How does one peacefully coexist in a household where your kids seem to only want to attack the very wildlife you wish to quietly observe? I’m not exactly sure. I know I love my boys and I don’t ever want them to change who they are. Sit quietly, yes. Change?
Here is a Mother’s Day letter written by Full Speed. It is probably one of the best letters ever and I’m not just saying that because I’m his Mom (oh, yes I am!).
I would like to thank all of you for continuing to read my adventures in motherhood. I started this blog to document the ups and downs of raising my two, spirited boys. Over time, it has become a great way to help me cope with the craziness of my life. Now, I continue to write it simply because I love to write and because I hope it brings humor and light to those who read it. So, basically I’m saying, I hope it helps you with problems you’ve never heard about.
On this Mother’s Day, regardless if you have children or not, I hope you have people in your own life who celebrate how amazing you are today and every day.
The boys’ soccer season officially ended over the weekend. I never quite recovered my courage to snap a lot of photos during a game. After experiencing brutal losses in both their season openers, fear won over even though both teams pulled out respectable .500 seasons in the end. All I could imagine is that I would be clicking away in rapid succession as we were crushed by the opposition. Nope. Could not do it.
I did manage to at least get a photo or two of the boys in their uniforms. For Moms that just doesn’t get old. Every kid is cute in a uniform.
Exhibit A for cuteness
I learned two very valuable lessons over the course of the season. The first being no matter how much I wish it, dream it, or imagine it, my boys will never calmly get ready for any sports-related activity. They just won’t. End of story.
See what I mean?
I also learned that letting go of your kids happens a lot sooner than you think and you never can be ready for when it happens. As I watched the boys practice soccer with Mad Dog yesterday in our cul-de-sac (because apparently 6 consecutive days of soccer is not enough) it struck me, my boys are officially Daddy’s boys. Sure, I had a great run of about seven years and T.Puzzle has held out longer as a Mommy’s boy, but for the most part it’s over. The boys are now entering official man territory and while Moms are welcome there, they aren’t the top priority any longer. Winning, independence and building soccer skills are now their main goals (soccer pun intended).
It was fun while it lasted being the center of their universe. Okay, if you’ve read this blog before, maybe fun is the wrong word. It actually was kind of overwhelming and nightmarish at times. Anyway, I will cherish the formative years I had as their number one focus and thank my lucky stars they have someone as awesome as Mad Dog to look up to in the future.
So, in summation, Full Speed and T.Puzzle learned a little more about life from the lessons on the soccer field (as did Mom) and they grew up before my very eyes.
I was unwrapping a box on our dining room table. After I had cut through some plastic and rubber bands to get to its contents, I started to clear the area. I absent-mindedly grabbed a rubber band and then the world stopped. On closer inspection I realized this unfortunate rubber band was actually a tiny, dead, three-inch lizard. I had it pinched firmly between my thumb and forefinger. I dropped it as if it were on fire and screamed my pretty little head off.
The boys raced into the dining room to see what was seemingly threatening the safety of their mother. I was logical enough to quickly convey that physically I was fine. Emotionally, well, the jury’s still out on that one.
I asked Full Speed to get a paper towel, pick up the deceased lizard and toss it outside. I wasn’t sure how he was going to react. I didn’t know if he would mirror my hysteria or step up to the challenge. Thankfully, he was a as cool as a cucumber.
I told him he was my hero. “I bet it was weird hearing me scream like a little girl, wasn’t it?”
“That’s okay, Mom. You are a girl so you can scream like one,” he replied without judgement.
Wow. A hero who simultaneously rescues and bolsters your self-esteem. Leapin’ lizards he’s a good kid!
This summer is going by in a flash. It’s all swim lessons, soccer, traveling to see family and using every last ounce of energy to keep up with my boys.
