Independent vs. Dependent

I want you to take a really good look at this picture. This is my son, Nathan. For those of you that know my son, you know he is an extremely independent little boy... well, independent in areas we don't yet want him to be independent in, yet he's very dependent in areas we would like him to be more independent in. Confused yet? Let me give you a couple of examples:

Independent

Nathan loves to travel around when he darn well pleases. Yes, he has gotten MUCH better at not doing this since the last time he pulled a stunt like that we had to get a park ranger involved because he went missing while we were camping and no one (but the people he went with) knew where he was. Poor cousin Laura was having a heart attack while I was causing the lake to rise from my worried tears alone! On another occasion, when he was 2 years old, he had gone over to a neighbors house without telling us, and we were frantically searching our house and yard for him. As soon as we began running out the front door, our neighbor was carrying him back to our house. We have since become good friends with those neighbors and we got permission to put in a gate from our yard to theirs so Nathan can travel there without walking the streets. Ha!

Dependent

Nathan does not like to be alone, even if we are all home, but spread throughout the house doing our own chores or what-not. He can be watching TV, look up to see we are not there, and then he will mindlessly explore the house looking for us. Of course, when he finds us, he wouldn't dare admit he just wants to be close to someone, so instead, he will start babbling about the first thing that comes to him mind. Nathan also will not begin any chores/homework he is supposed to do unless we initiate it and physically make him do these things; with help, of course. And God forbid this 'independent boy' learn how to pick-up after himself... why does he insist on having 3 or 4 pairs of his shoes spread out all over the living room floor, yet also insist on wearing the same outfit for 3 or 4 days in a row?? Geez!

OR... Neither??

For the past few months Nathan has frequently been using the same 4 phrases multiple times a day... at first the hubby and I thought these phrases were part of his 'dependence', but because these phrases have become a daily occurrence, we're not entirely sure, but we hope they are just a stage he's going through; hehehe!

1) "Mom, Dad? Will you get my blanket?" (When it's never more than 5 ft. away from him.)

2) "Mom, Dad? Will you get me some water?" (While he's literally standing right next to the stack of water bottles.)

3) "Mom, Dad? I'm bored." (I assure you this kid has NO reason to be bored... not with so many toys not only in his bedroom, but also in the playroom, AND all the electronic devices he own.)

4) "Mom, Dad? I'm hungry." (Trust me, this kid has been eating everything he can find in our cabinets; we've even caught him eating 3/4's of a just opened Cheez-it box, then 10 minutes later telling us he was hungry.)

However, even though my sweet baby boy has some annoying 'independencies' and 'dependencies', I still don't mind catering to him... well, most of the time anyway; ha! He's is, and always will be, the 'baby' in my mind. And, his smile just makes everything we do for him TOTALLY worth it!! 

I love you Nathan... aka: Tornater!

Goodbye Elementary... Hello Middle School! Yikes!

My beautiful Katie Bug, as I affectionately like to call her, has officially graduated Valley Oaks Elementary School! She walked in, she strolled across the stage, and my tears rolled. She has attended a wonderful elementary school for six years (kinder - 5th), she has met so many super-friends, and quite a few BFFs! I have had the pleasure of watching my daughter blossom from learning her ABCs and 123s, to learning how to write really good stories and spell words even I have trouble with, to learning how to properly research science and social study projects. At the moment, the word 'proud' is a huge understatement of how I feel. So, goodbye to elementary school...

...And hello to middle school! This fall Katie will be attending Spring Branch Middle School for the next three years! Let's face it, we've all heard the horror stories about middle school, and this mamma is a little nervous. But, Katie is a very responsible, mature, and cautious kind of gal... at least so far. I keep traveling back in time to my own days in middle school, which scares me! When Katie was first born I can still clearly hear what my own mother told me, "Ahhh, paybacks are hell; hahaha!" Even though she was joking, I know EXACTLY what she meant; my days of 'rebellion' began in middle school. Katie has been a mini-me thus far, basically a goody-goody, and middle school is when I said goodbye to my 'goody-goody' days.

This is the part where I have to 'practice what I write', and learn to be the kind of mother that will always be there for her through support and trust. (Yes, I am fully aware that this is easier 'said' than 'done'.) She will be shaping her own personality styles, and I just hope she doesn't come home one day with jet black hair, wearing a black t-shirt that says 'Rebel' in red lettering, black acid-washed jeans with chains for belts, black boots up to her knees, thick black eyeliner, and midnight black lipstick! Hahahaha! (Of course, I don't think I will truly start panicking until she asks me if she can go out on a date, or shows up at the house with her 'boyfriend'!) Lord help me!

Luckily I can't see into the future, so until then, I will enjoy taking one-day-at-a-time! 

I love you Katie Bug!!