Ages & Stages

I have a neighbor a few doors down with two girls who are 7 and 10. She's an amazing, wise and involved Mom who I greatly admire. I confide in her a lot about parenting...the highs and the lows. She helps me work through some of the challenges and always reminds me that it's all "ages and stages". I've been thinking about this a lot lately, reminding myself that the bickering will eventually stop but also remembering to give more kisses and hugs because those will probably stop one day too.

So, if light of her advice here's the latest "Ages & Stages" going on at our house:

• Alex with his incessant "I lub you Mum". He's realized that whenever he says this I'll stop what I'm doing, look him in the eyes and say "I love you too, sweet boy". It melts my heart.
• Will jumping out from behind corners, or just getting right up in Alex's face and yelling "Boo" really loud...followed by Alex yelling "scary, Mummy, scary" and running to grab my leg. I've reminded Will that Halloween isn't for another 2 and a half months and he needs to stop it. I told him he can start up with the Boo's again on October 15 (hopefully this stage will be over by then).
• Will working on exerting his assertiveness. When it comes to doing his daily reading and homework, he gets sneaky and waits until I'm on the phone and then comes up to me and says (in a defiant voice) "I'm NOT doing my homework, I'm going outside to play RIGHT now". I'm still trying hard not to feed into the anger and to just calmly remind him that there's no playing outside until it's done. Homework will no doubt be a thorn in my side for many, many years to come.
• Alex following Will around everywhere, and driving the poor boy batty. He ends up frustrated and in tears, yelling "Alex STOP following me!" I hope preschool for Alex helps to diffuse this, since I feel so bad for Will.

I know it's all going to change soon, so I'll hang in there until it does. But I sure will miss it when Alex learns to say his "v" properly. I've grown pretty fond of the "I lub you Mum's".