Monday Motherhood Musings: Don't Kid Yourself, It's Not Getting Any Easier!

It's 2:35 a.m. as I start this.  I just want to be up front about that, so if it reads like a jibber jabber gargle of nothing, that's why.

I can't sleep.

I stayed in bed for over 3 hours trying to sleep, but I have accepted that it's just not happening.

I was saying to someone the other day that the difference between raising babies and raising teenagers is huge.

I thought my life would get easier as my kids got older....but the biggest difference I can see is that the poo comes out of their mouths rather than their hineys.

Photo courtesy of imagerymajestic; FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Sorry.  Inappropriate.

Don't get me wrong, it is easier in some ways.  But I pictured it differently as I juggled an infant seat and a toddler and a preschooler.  I fantasized about the days when I had children old enough to babysit....oh what heaven, right?

Only I didn't think about how that babysitter-aged child would want to do things with her own life, things besides watching her younger siblings.  Yeah.  Somehow, when they gave out mother brains, I missed that info.  Track.  Dances.  Sleepovers.  Trips to the mall. (Why does she always have so much more money than I do?)

You can guess, I'm sure, that I'm talking about BananaG13.  She is wonderful, please be clear on that.  She is an old soul, she just "gets" things, she is wonderfully responsible and helpful and one of the most thoughtful people I have ever met.  I think she gets that from her aunt, my sister, MathGeekSis.

High school is close on the horizon.  I can only guess that activities will become more frequent and demanding of travel.  As well they should; as far as I understand it, she needs to participate in just about everything to get scholarships and college admissions.

I'm actually counting down the days until she gets a driver's license.

Only this time, I've got my new mom brain in.  I realize that she will not be driving solely to pick up her little brothers from football  as I have fantasized about (side note:  aren't tiny football players just so cute?!) or to take her sister to a friend's house.

I've figured out that my kids are growing up, and growing up means growing away.  I should have realized this since I tried to fly the coop as soon as legally possible when I was a kid.  Geez I was rotten.

Two-plus years till she drives herself to track meets, to dances, to work at a job somewhere, to school, to football games....

Something tells me it will be here too fast, and before I know it I'll wish she needed me to take her somewhere.

Photo courtesy of photostock; FreeDigitalPhotos.net