Round Here

I've been on a Counting Crows kick lately. I do not know why. I was not particularly a fan of Counting Crows in the early 90s, but suddenly I have their songs in my head. Gotta love me some "A Long December" even if the lyrics make no sense. Who needs sense, right? I also gotta love a Jewish guy who gets fake dreds and pulls that look off for more than a decade.

Anyway.....don't know what's going on around here but Saturday Sweetheart started cleaning her room without being told. Then yesterday she took a bath of her own volition and asked me if she could paint her nails. Yes, I suppose all children get to the age where they start to care about how they look but if you know Sweetheart in real life can appreciate the amazingness of this. Of course I don't want my girls to be obsessed with how they look or spend hours primping and fussing in front of the mirror....but caring if your hair is brushed or not is good. Cleaning your room is even better!

I think it's about time to read Beautiful Girlhood with her. I have hesitated to read it in the past--you may think this is crazy--because of the part that talks about "soon you will lay aside your dolls and pursue other things". I didn't even want to put the idea in her head that she should stop playing and enjoying being a little girl. Maybe we'll skip that part. The rest of the book is SO good. (That link is to the book! Wow!)

It's very cool watching her become a young lady. You know I said we are skipping "teenager" around here.  Oh the best laid plans.....  I mean it though. I do not want to raise my children with the expectation that they can BE a teenager for 6+ years and THEN become a young adult. Rather, like the book talks about, I would prefer they transition from "girlhood" to "young lady." Oh if I could figure out how to do that.

Part of the plan is to not listen to what the world says about being a teenager. We can set our own expectations. Not being a part of a youth group will no doubt help our cause as well. One of the teens at our church was lamenting that she wished people would mature when they reached puberty. I told her they used to do just that. Goodness, children her age were living a very different life less than 100 years ago. Times have certainly changed and we seem to think this is how things have always been. I think so much of it is about expectation.

I've also been dreaming and planning and researching for next year. For the record, we have 12 1/2 more weeks of THIS year. I have no business looking this far ahead, but it's so fun! I should be making plans for summer first, huh?

Lastly, I've been enjoying showering in my own bathroom again! It's so nice to have all our home renovations done. I'm really enjoying my new kitchen! S mentioned that Little Bit's tics might have been so bad last week because of all the commotion of the renovation and the not eating at the table and just the general schedule disruption. Duh. I had not even thought of that. I bet that was it.

OK. Play break is over. Gotta get back to work. Carrie, I hope you are enjoying my DAILY posting.