"It's Stuck, Lenny!"

I was sitting in the kitchen, doing a little blog hopping on my phone when I heard, "Come on, Ming Ming!" and "It's stuck, Lenny!"


Maryanne has really been into watching "The Wonder Pets!" recently.  So, hearing those two sentences normally wouldn't be out of place.  Except that it was my little Adam (who is not so little anymore), and my princess Maryanne (who, most definitely is a princess) who were yelling those words to each other.


As I heard those cute little voices, all I could think was that they aren't going to be in this stage for very much longer.  Eliza and Kate still play like this, but only with Maryanne, not with each other.  They have already grown on and talk about boys and friends, clothes, makeup, and fingernail polish.  And, they aren't even allowed to participate is most of those things!  


My children are growing up so quickly.  And, I realize now that I've missed most of it.


Yesterday, Andrew had a really rough morning.  He is an extremely sensitive little boy (who, also, is not so little anymore, but I continually forget that).  Adam and Andrew got into a fight before school, and Andrew couldn't let it go in time to be ready for school.  Eliza had a field trip that morning, so I took Eliza and Kate to school, then came back home to help Andrew get ready.  Roughly thirty minutes later I was walking back home from having dropped Andrew off at school.


While I was walking I realized that I have always been a detached person.  I am not a person who easily opens up to others, or even shares all of my thoughts and feelings with my best friends.  Hugging is completely foreign to me.  And, I know I try my hardest to hide my emotions ... especially at church when the Spirit is so strong and starts to make my eyes water.


This makes it extremely hard to be the parent who is more concerned about my daughter getting hit by pictures falling off the wall that she just ran into while playing, than the parent who is concerned that a picture frame just fell on the floor and broke ... in someone else's home.  It makes it hard to be the parent who stops talking with a friend and listens to my child who has interrupted our conversation.  And, it is so difficult to be the mom who listens to my children talk about their struggles and react in a loving and caring way.


I am a detached parent.  In fact, the only child I am really attached to is Andrew, because I see his hurt all the time when negative things are said.


But, this morning, I was attached.  We were running late this morning, and something was said to the children about being late for school.  As I walked the children to school to check them in, I noticed that Eliza's face was downcast.  So, instead of running to school to get there, hopefully, on time, we took our time and I reaffirmed their worth to both Jon and me.  I told them that sometimes things are said when we are stressed that aren't true.  I gave them all hugs and told them I loved them and that they are always the best of the best.


And, when I came home I heard Adam and Maryanne playing "The Wonder Pets!"  Adam was rolling around in a sheet yelling "help!" and Maryanne was trying to help him.  I sat here and cried, knowing that I need to get off my rear end and spend this time I have with my children before it is gone.  I need to make a little investment in my children because pretty soon they won't be role playing anymore, they will be talking about friends, cars, sports, dances, girls' camp, scouts, babysitting, etc.




It's time I become attached.