Every year the eldest child has a birthday, as they all do, and we are all shocked at his upcoming age. Even his siblings can't get over him aging rapidly. We all couldn't believe when he became a teenager and then he hit 14 and 15 and 16 and now he is turning 17!!! It sounds so old and grown up. His sisters are baffled with how fast life flies by and recently exclaimed "next year he will be an adult". It is fascinating watching them all grow up before our very eyes. Facebook memories get you every time! You just can't believe how much they change in just a few years. Seriously once they hit 12 they start to become little adults. Memories pop up from 4 or 6 years ago when they are only 6 or 8 or so and now some are fully grown adults and no matter how many time Facebook shows you (like every single day) you are just shocked at their transformation.
We are sort of lucky because we still have the 4 year old to gush over. On the other hand we are really sick of giving showers, cutting nails, brushing hair and getting kids ready for bed but we realize all of the sudden they do everything themselves. I will miss all of that bonding time. We hardly ever even see the 15 year old. She does comes up for food or to ask for money. Our 7 year old showers and dresses himself so he is already on the path to independence. He even requests showers and actually remembers to bathe every other day. He is better than the older ones, well except for Brendan. That child lives life on a schedule so he has no issues reminding us when it is shower day. Most teenage boys stink and don't care about being clean but not Brendan. He is the complete opposite. Over the years I realized how alike our boys are. I always tell my husband, I never knew how typical Brendan really was until we had Andrew. Brendan has always been a total boy and most of those annoying quirks he had growing up apparently was just a boy thing. Playing with light switches, opening and shutting doors for literally no reason, making annoying sounds, having zero attention span....yup he was just being a boy. Who knew?!
Lily has been a busy little bee lately. Preschool has changed her. She loves to color and draw and cut paper.... Lots of paper like if I have to sweep up any more pieces of paper that are all over my dining room I may cry. She attends school from 9-3pm and continues to be non stop the minute she walks through the door. She is always off crafting something. We know exactly what to get her for Christmas and it will go into her bedroom so she isn't destroying the dining room an hour before dinner needs to be on the table. She is still very shy but preschool is helping her come out of her shell. She has made some friends and gained some confidence. She rides down slides all on her own now and had a blast at her brother's school Halloween party. Also, for the first time in 16 long years I did not have to walk to a single door on Halloween. She seriously ran up to the houses all by herself. She even tried to avoid going to the same house as her brother, Ms. independent. I can not even believe that I got to sit back and watch and yes I got to sit because we took Brendan with us in his golf cart. It was seriously the best Halloween ever. I just waved to our neighbors and happily sat and watched my 4 and 7 year old run all around collecting candy. We have earned this! 16 years of trick or treating. Many many years lugging Brendan up to the doors, in and out of wagons, strollers and wheelchairs. The last two years he took his bike which was also awesome but nothing can beat us all sitting in the golf cart and enjoying ourselves.
The days are still busy but not as exhausting as they once were. 4 kids are off to school by 8:15 am and then Lily heads in at 9 am. We actually get to go to work without any children! We don't have to keep them entertained, we don't have to feed them, we don't have to clean up after them all day long. It is peaceful and we get so much work done. It is very odd but in a good way. We have owned our business for over 7 years and have children with us since the day we opened. At least I know Lily is off having a great day and we get a break from all 5 kids for a few hours. I leave work at 2:40 pm and pick up Lily and then grab Andrew and head home to clean up and start dinner. We put 3 kids to bed at 8:30 pm and then try and relax until bed time. We don't have too much going on right now as far as sports. Chloe has cheer but walks home at the moment because practice is after school which is nice. Brendan hasn't started basketball yet but I can just swing by to get him after I grab Lily when that starts up. Makayla joined drama and is helping with an elementary art class once a week so we have a few pick ups but nothing crazy and the best part is we live right down the road from the schools so it takes no time at all. It is so much easier now that the little kids are older because I don't even have to pack them up, they can stay home with any sibling for 5 minutes. No sleeping babies to worry about, no coats or shoes to run around the house to find because they decided to take them off in the upstairs bathroom. Nope, I just say I will be right back and head out the door. These are the little things that a mom with many kids can appreciate. Running to the store and leaving them all behind is amazing. Getting to go on a date with my husband because our 15 year old can take care of them is the best, mostly because we don't even have to pay for a babysitter.
So somehow another year has passed us by. Brendan turns 17 on Thanksgiving. My mom and her husband are off to Arizona already for the Winter. The leaves are falling fast and cold weather is approaching. 2020 will be here before we know it and next year at this time one of our children will be almost an adult. I am trying to enjoy all the moments, whether chaotic or not because I know one day they will all be adults and all of these hectic days will be in the past and I will have a quiet house and miss the absolute chaos that I have come to secretly love.
Throwback of Brendan since it is his birthday month and then the 3 oldest:
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