ALL THINGS CALLI-ALL GROWN UP

When I step back, pause and reflect on my kids, I realize they aren't so little anymore. And then when I keep my nephews I realize they are REALLY not little anymore. I kept Hudson (almost 4) and Cam (10 mos) for a couple of hours this past week and had flash backs to those days many years ago. Cam was a little fussy so I had to hold him most of the time. I put him down to make my bed and he screamed the whole time. I had to smile a little because I remembered when my kids were that little, the crying would climb all over me to where I would rush to get through whatever I was doing to pick them up. Don't make me look like supermom in your mind because many times it wasn't out of sweetness, it was out of frustration. But when Cam was screaming it really didn't bother me. I knew he just wanted to be held and I knew that I would hold him when I was done making the bed. So either as you get older those things because less "annoying" or maybe after 2 kids it just doesn't phase you. The one thing that he seemed content with was outside. So him and I sat outside on the back porch swing rocking myself to sleep as Hudson walked back and forth to the tractor. It was a flash back again to how slow life was then. And I don't mean that in a disrespectful way for those that have young kids AT ALL! I just mean there is so much to do to keep up with household and work duties but most of the time you are moving at pace with your kids....following them around, sitting around playing blocks, swinging on the swing. And when I sit still, my whole body relaxes and I just prefer to sleep. THAT means I'm getting old. It's good to have those flashback moments occassionally...those 'slow down and remember when' times.

I totally digressed from what I got on here to chat about. So here Calli is 12, finishing 6th grade, ready to be a 7th grade cheerleader and while I still consider her a little girl...she's not so little. A few weeks ago we went and got her ears pierced and she was very anxious! Notice her face in this video before she gets started. It's the look of "I can back out now...should I back out? What am I doing? Do I really need pretty ears?" The lady was talking to her but she wasn't listening to anything but the voice inside her head.

She wanted to get them done last Fall and I told her she had to wait until cheer season was over...they won't allow earings. So over Spring Break we had planned to do it but then I said she might want to wait until after school cheer tryouts which were that next week. So when I brought it up again, she was nervous. I told her this was her window...she gets it done in the next few days or she has to wait through a whole new cheer season. So she did it. The lady was great and Calli loved them after the fact. About a week later she told me that I'm always right and she should listen to me. Well that only took 12 years!!! And it will only last for a year because you know when they hit 13, mom knows nothing! So I guess I should enjoy this year. She said it because I told her to get her ears pierced when she didn't want to and now she LOVES them and I drug her on a ride at the fair (crying) telling her she would love it and it was her FAVORITE ride.

She's also all grown up because she can french braid (somewhat). Look how great this is. All by herself.

And finally, she was very proud of her Science Fair project that she got 3rd place in for her category. I really didn't expect that at all. But her project went onto the district Science Fair where she didn't place but we were still very proud of her. For the most part, that project was done completely by her.

It won't be long until I'm posting about her drivers license test.