Holding on to the Past and Embracing the Future

It's a scary thing when your kids start to become independent. I mean, I'll be honest, I've been anxiously awaiting the day I no longer have to remind someone to change underpants or brush teeth, but when it starts to happen I also start to panic. What happens when I have no one else to nag?! I guess there's always Ken, right?

Frances and Henry have been having a great time with summer camps so far. Frances has been spending a lot of time with her new best friend, D. Her mother and I knew each other slightly before the two girls started becoming friends, and now we are communicating much more often.

D's mom has been doing the pick-up/drop-off for camp this week because it's closer to her office than mine. Yesterday Frances went home with D for a little while after camp. It was a spur of the moment thing and it wasn't until afterwards that I realized there's no more car seat exchange when people drive her around. I didn't need to give directions to my house for after because Frances can do that herself. She's growing up right before my eyes, but unless I make myself look closely, even I might not see it!!

Henry has been gone for two weeks. First at his overnight camp, and then for a week with my parents. He was home for about 40 hours in between and 16 of those hours he was asleep. I can talk to him on the phone while he's gone, but I still miss him. And he doesn't cry and say he misses me. I'm glad that he's having such a great time. I'm proud that he sure enough of himself to go on new adventures without me. But he's growing up too.

Benjamin and I had a conversation in the van this week. I told him that he wouldn't be able to take his babies (stuffed animals) with him to Kindergarten. He was a little bit sad about that, and so was I. He's been carting around his menagerie for three years now! I also told him he wouldn't have to take naps anymore. He started to get a big grin on his face, but then he stopped and said, "Wait! Are naps good for your health?" What five year old talks like that?! Mine does. When did he get so concerned about his health?!

This is the most recent picture I have of all three kids together!

This has been a great summer. We may not have gotten much of our summer bucket list done, but we've grown in other ways and had a ton of fun. As a family, we are really growing out of the needy toddler/preschool stage and moving on. It's a little bit sad, but I'm looking forward to embracing this new stage. I just wish I knew how to hold on to the past while also welcoming the future.

This has been a Finish the Sentence Friday post. Today’s sentence is “I wish I knew…”
Host: Kristi Campbell from Finding Ninee.
Co-hosts: Mardra from Mardra Sikora and Jill from Ripped Jeans and Bifocals