making sense of it all

A little over two weeks ago, my wife's mother passed away. I wouldn't actually call it sudden, since a terminal cancer diagnosis was made nearly six months ago, but that doesn't mean it was expected. We went from believing we had a year to watching a stroke knock that down to four days. Again, not exactly expected...

As anyone would expect, children have questions at times like this. Was their grandmother actually in the coffin at the funeral? Where did their grandmother go? And, of course, when will they die? Needless to say, you aren't always ready to address those questions with children who are four and six... With our teenager, who is now an adult, it's a different story, because the connection to the deceased is that much greater and the emotion is that much stronger.

It is certainly a fact of life, and one that must be dealt with, talked through, and, ultimately, accepted. That doesn't make it any easier, but we simply take comfort in the knowledge that we will all get through this...

gifted & talented

What's the right balance when it comes to assessing your child's potential? How do you accurately push to afford your child every opportunity to excel while not coming across as "that parent" who thinks his child is in a league all her own? It's hard to believe we'd be wrestling with such a question at the end of kindergarten, but, apparently, kids these days are pushed into accelerated programs at a really early age!

We love our little princess more than life itself, and we think she's amazing. In addition to being kind, considerate, and funny, she's very bright, but, then again, don't all parents think that about their kids? I don't want to be obnoxious about it, but I want her to be given every opportunity to succeed. If that means a little extra recognition at such a young age - aided by a little pushing from the parents - so be it. I want her mind to grow and be challenged, and I'll do everything I can to make that possible.

teach your children well

We've been watching this unfold for some time now, but it's always a special treat to watch Wittles teaching her little brother. He looks up to her so much, and, while this clearly flusters her at times, she also embraces her role as "big sister." She's been working on one of her kindergarten activity books this morning, and, like every good copycat would, the little guy is trying to plow through his own little preschool book. There she is, though, patiently working with him while he finishes his little workbook pages.

They have their squabbles, as any siblings do, but they love each other very much. That being said, if I don't get them out of the house soon, the good feelings may be gone! Donuts, anyone?

aging right before our eyes

Lots of time gets spent analyzing how quickly little kids grow up. One minute they're crawling around on all fours, and the next they're asking about the nutritional properties of food. (I kid you not - this is my six-year-old!) What you might not realize is that the growth is just as striking, if not as readily apparent, at the upper end of the spectrum. Our teenager, soon to enter adulthood, just got her first paying job this week!

Sure, she's "worked" before, and, by that, I mean that she's been a babysitter. This, however, is an entirely different animal. She's going to be working regular hours, she'll be making a steady paycheck, and she'll be getting a good dose of accountability.

Is she ready for all of this? I certainly don't know, but I'm eager to see her get out there and do it. She's heading to college in a year, and this is an excellent first step to reaching that stage. Good luck!

just like his daddy

My little guy, long a lover of cereal (which happens to be a morning staple for his dad, 35 years running), decided that today, he wanted to eat it like Daddy. He wanted to eat his little bowl of Cheerios, then follow it with a bowl of something sweeter. Granted, as he started down this path, his enthusiasm soon waned, and he was off playing with his toys again. Nevertheless, it's always nice to look at the little guy, who, admittedly, looks nothing like me, and see parts of me reflected in him. My boy...

can she be that old already?

A couple days ago, we got the call - my little girl's glasses were ready to be picked up. Yes, she's only five, but they thought that wearing glasses - at least for reading and watching TV - would help her eyes get a little better. Normally I'd be a little sad that she's got to lug around a pair of glasses now, but she's incredibly enthused. Of course, it doesn't hurt that the glasses are pink! In the end, she's embraced them, and she does look pretty cute wearing them. Now, if only her three-year-old brother would realize that he doesn't need them!

bigger than her five years

My little princess is not yet six years old, but she gets bigger and bigger by the day. Not physically, mind you - she's still barely half my height - but in terms of her overall development. Most importantly, she's such a wonderful big sister to her baby brother. He's three and utterly adores her, and watching her take care of him is the greatest feeling in the world. Granted, it's not always so smooth and carefree - they do have their moments - but, when she's as caring and nurturing with him as she is at moments like this, my heart melts. It's that moment as a parent when you realize that your child is becoming everything you hoped she would. She's my little girl, and I love her more than anything!

birds of a feather

The little guy rose from his slumber just before 5 AM this morning, which, as you can imagine, wasn't of my choosing. Nevertheless, as my wife wisely pointed out yesterday, he almost always wakes up happy, and, for that, we're truly grateful. The truth is, I do enjoy these quiet moments with him in the morning. He doesn't need as much attention, he's not yet totally wired, and he gets to bask in some quality one-on-one time. I get to tell the little guy how special & amazing he really is, and he gets to bask in the glow of unconditional love. My kind of morning...

cute & little...

2010 is now upon us, and my two littlest ones, now three and five years old, will change so much over the next twelve months. The Wee Man will finish his first year of preschool, make tremendous progress with his speech, and grow into the boy he will soon become. Wittles will enter first grade, make huge strides in terms of reading & writing, and become an even more adorable little girl. Those days are just around the corner, and I can't wait for them, but I don't want to forget the year that was. They're my little angels, and I love them!