My boys sat on the curb this afternoon, watching the parade go by. And I noticed that my 13-year old twins didn’t jump up to grab scattered candy. Meanwhile, their 8-year old brother jumped up, snatched candy from the street and sometimes, caught it mid-air. His little paper sack bulged with candies.
I nudged my husband and said, “Look! Your boys are growing up!” No more mad candy scrambling!
Next thing we know, they’ll be too cool to sit on the curb near their family, watching army trucks, clowns and decorated bicycles roll by. A emotional little part of my heart thinks I ought to be sadly nostalgic, but the bigger part of my logical brain assures me that they are right on track. Knowing that they are growing up–so far, so good–feels pretty great.
(One of them even helped me clean out the van today . . . without my asking!)
* * *
The other day, we were driving in the van on the way to the pool. The boys made a comment about how unreasonable their sister is and it’s true–because she’s three years old, the Unreasonable Age if ever there was one. Anyway, I said, “Have you heard that saying–never try to teach a pig to sing . . . because it wastes your time and annoys the pig?” I explained to them that try to reason with their sister is like teaching a pig to sing.
And one of them intoned, “Yeah, mom, it’s like trying to teach a chicken to whistle.”
At which point, I abandoned my lesson and made a mental note to remember the crazy things kids say.
Then I heard one of them say, “That’s stupid. A chicken doesn’t have lips. It can’t whistle!”
“Does, too!”
“You’re stupid!”
“Mo-om!”
So I turned up the radio extra loud and pretended I was alone.
Actual Unretouched Photo 
I know the feeling. The girls started “the ants go marching” on the way home tonight.
At least we weren’t on a long trip. They only reached 7 before we were home.
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Sometimes that is all you can do. Explaining or trying to understand their point of view gets you nowhere fast…like yesterday. My daughter sat something on the lid of pan containing the cake I’d baked for our picnic. I told her to take it off because she was going to push the lid down into the cake. She argued it wouldn’t happen. I argued there was a darn good chance. Finally she removed the object…pointed out to me that the lid hadn’t pushed into the cake. And then pushed on it with her fingers. Guess what happened? Sigh.
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ha! i love it…
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I am not looking forward to that emotional part of my boys growing up.
Oh, and thanks for reminding me I have to clean out my van today!
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I’m all for turning up the radio real loud and pretending your alone! I have a 3 year old, too. the pig and singing thing makes perfect sense!
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he he he – how funny. someday they’re gonna be saying “remember how mom used to say ‘it’s like teaching a chicken to whistle’ and you’ll say ‘i never said such a thing!’
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I’m so glad to know I’m not the only one who turns up the radio and pretends to be alone. lol.
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I cant stand the radio so I have nothing to run on when the argueing escalates! Boy dont kids say the funniest thing. I was giving Peter a lecture about choking his siter which he had just done. I told him he could kill her by doing that. He looks at me and says, “Mom if a snake wrapped itself around her belly would she die?” He had no remorse for the choking! Some days I just wanna give up! LOL Come down her to Portland and lets have coffee–no kids allowed.
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Yep, I turn up the radio too! Sometimes I turn it up really really loud to cover up her screaming bloody murder because she was told ‘no’!
I’m so sick of the whining and complaining that I’m looking forward to the teenage Get-Away-From-Me age. Remind me this in about 7 years though, ok?
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It takes moments like that to help mom’s realize their little boys are growing up. I just hate that. lol.
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that reminds me of “A woman needs a man like a fish needs a bicycle” from a U2 song.
My husband still scrambles for candy…
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I STILL scramble for candy. ;o)
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I can’t picture my little man growing up. When I see him do big boy things like trying to put on shoes, or trying to tag along with the older kids, I have flash backs of him being completely dependent on me. But I guess growing up is a good thing. You are right Melodee!!
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after reading about your bible school i noticed signs up all over small town alabama about the fiesta bible school coming to town. all the churches in our town go together for bible school. so we will be having an eccumentical fiesta here!
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VERY FUNNY! What’s worse is totally tuning them out when there is no radio to turn up… my favorite line for my kids is, “Sorry, honey, I just clocked out.”
They totally don’t understand it – but they will one day.
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I remember when my boys were in the “terrible twos” and thinking all my friends were crazy–the boys were great, not terrible at all. Then they turned 3. They are 12, 16 and 17 now and I still haven’t recovered.
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LOL! I have to turn the radio up often as well …My oldest children love complaining about the youngest children and it always turns into battles with all of the children yelling and screaming at each other…
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I didn’t realize you had twins, Mel! They sound like great young men.
Mozart calms this mama and her kiddos down.
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Boy can I relate to this post. LOL
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