“A portrait of my children once a week, every week, in 2014.”

Lillia: Most kids would probably hate it if their parents posted a silly photo of them on the internet, but I bet you’ll be proud. I had a more genteel image selected, but I just love this one too much not to share. Though you are often quite serious, you can be downright goofy sometimes, too. I was secretly (okay, not so secretly) pleased this week when you told me that one of your favorite subjects is History. Of course, I want you to grow up loving and pursuing the things YOU enjoy, but I think that studying History is a very worthwhile endeavor and I support your explorations into the past 100%. Maybe someday we’ll be poring over old documents in an archive somewhere, side by side.

Zane: This week you have been talking incessantly about your trip to the Children’s Museum. It clearly left quite the impression on you! Your favorite story is about how Lillia climbed into the “bee hive” (a fenced-in climber that goes up two stories), but that you were scared and you cried. You’re definitely an adventuresome guy and most dangerous things don’t deter you, but that bee hive? You were terrified. Maybe you are claustrophobic, or maybe seeing your mother on the other side of a chainlink fence, just beyond your reach, was a little too much. No matter, there were lots of fun things for you to do there, and you can always try again next time!

“A portrait of my children once a week, every week, in 2014.”

Lillia: Last night you were really sad because you had a mild argument with one of your friends on Minecraft. Then you told us that one of your favorite online friends from Chicken Smoothie had left the forums. You were visibly upset about both situations. I know how hard it is for you to find kids that are share your interests and can appreciate your idiosyncrasies, and I can see that you are frightened of losing the special friends that you have made. But, actually, friendships change over time. I didn’t realize that until I was an adult, but it’s true! In fact, most close relationships have an ebb and flow to them; sometimes you won’t be in sync and sometimes it will work like magic. You just have to ride the wave.

Zane: All this rain has been kind of a downer, huh? You’re the type of guy that needs to be outside, a lot. I’ve been trying to keep you entertained, but mostly you’re just upending coffee tables and tearing apart the couch. If we had a bigger house, I would just fill one of the rooms with old furniture and let you go at it! The highlight of your week was definitely visiting Daddy, and opening a savings account, at the bank. You really love to chat with grown-ups, and you’ve recently started telling “tall tales.” Thankfully, I think drier weather is on the horizon so we’ll be able to run around outside again soon.

“A portrait of my children once a week, every week, in 2014.”

Lillia: You did it! You earned your brown belt! I am so proud of you. And, yesterday you did your Spring MAP test and your math score went up 15 points since the last test. It’s amazing how much you’ve improved in math this year. We got a little behind while we were homeschooling, but you have caught up and then some. I hope you have a blast partying with all of your friends tonight!

Zane: [those cheeks – I’m dying! ] Phew! What a week! Although our garden plans were temporarily thwarted, you were so patient and it all turned out okay in the end. You have really enjoyed tending our little vegetable plants, and I know you will be so thrilled when we can harvest the “fruits” of our labors, so to speak, later in the summer. Thanks for being such an awesome little guy, and for being so excited about everything we do (even when it’s stressful). You make it all worthwhile.

“A portrait of my children once a week, every week, in 2014.”

Lillia: It seems like everything is happening all at once this week! Today you are attempting to earn your “brown belt” in Karate Math (a program used by the school to help kids learn their multiplication & division facts). Regardless of the outcome, I just want you to know how proud I am of how far you’ve progressed since you went back to school in October. You didn’t know any multiplication or division six months ago, and now you know pretty much all the facts — and you learned them all on your own! On top of that huge achievement you also have your big dance performance this weekend. Yesterday when I dropped you off for rehearsal you were happy and cheerful, and didn’t even need (want?) me to come in with you. I cannot believe how much you have matured this year; it can be a little overwhelming at times, but I feel so lucky to be your mother and that I get the chance to watch you change & grow.

Zane: This week you have been helping me get our raised beds ready for planting. On Tuesday we got a delivery of loam to fill the beds and you were SO excited because the delivery man let YOU push the button that raises the truck bed and dumps the dirt! I think you would be perfectly content to be a dirt delivery man someday (though I was told that it loses its thrill after the first couple of days). We also got a delivery of sand for your sandbox, which attracted a whole flock of neighborhood kids. You were thrilled to have so many little people to play with you and you really enjoyed showing off all of your trucks.

“A portrait of my children once a week, every week, in 2014.”

Lillia: Well, it happened. Last night you came to me and said, “Can you promise me that you don’t bring all of my Christmas presents?” Sorry, kiddo. I played along for almost 11 years, but I won’t make a promise that is a blatant lie. It all started when you were reading my blog, and for some reason you were reading all of the entries — even back to 2011! I happened to make a post way back then about finding and purchasing your play kitchen, which we told you was from “Santa.” Certainly there were times in your life when you questioned whether or not Santa was real, but we were always able to keep the fire burning without telling an outright lie. For some reason that was an important distinction for me. You were sad to learn the truth, and there were some tears, but you said you were happy to have had the experience and you want Zane to keep believing for awhile. So, now you’ve been “initiated.” Knowledge is a tricky thing: on one side of the coin there is truth and power, and on the other there is sadness and disappointment. From here on out there are going to be many things that you learn about the world and the people in it that you really wish you could unlearn. But, there is no forgetting, and that is part of the human condition.

Zane: This week you have been saying the silliest things! I love that your language skills have progressed to the point where you can converse about the less concrete matters of life because toddler + abstract concepts = hilarity.
Here’s an example:
Me: Zane, look at your legs. They are so cute! I just want to eat them up!
Zane: You can not eat them. They are made of person! They are mettached to me!