ROBIEWANKENOBIE

my boppa (my mother's uncle who lived with us when i was a kid) used to ask my mom, on particularly trying days, "what would you do if you had two more like her?" he was referring, of course, to the three boys my mother had raised eleven years earlier. my father? he once said that i was more difficult to handle than all three of my brothers put together. ask my mom about it and she says, "what does he know? he was never home with all three boys. he was always at work." the thing is? if you have one? or three? or, i would hazard to guess, twenty? there are days or weeks or months when it can all be overwhelming.

we've been going through some ups and downs over in this neck of the woods. the mr8 is really struggling with all that being an 8-year-old entails. homework is harder. responsibilities are greater. and you need more privacy and independence. we're right along with him feeling out what changes need to be made to give him greater control. we separated their rooms again. they are choosing their own clothes the night before (my choices have been deemed "dorky"). and the bedtime routines have been changed.

mornings are particularly trying. mr8 gets enough sleep, but the kid just ain't a morning kind of guy. he had such a difficult morning yesterday that i asked his favorite teacher if she wouldn't mind talking to him about school just to see if anything was going on that i didn't know about. they bonded over pie, and talked about everything under the sun.

today i decided that i'd go easy on him (and me). i bought the kids lap desks (which was a brilliant idea, btw...they have secret pockets for art supplies, and they can write anywhere they want!) and served them breakfast in bed. it was such a relief to have a relaxing start to the day.

mr6 is his happy-go-lucky self. i appreciate the facts that they take turns being difficult. it's so much easier that way. we are having trouble with him answering every. single. question. in. class. (he says he has so many great ideas in his head, he just has to share them.) but aside from that? swell. it looks like he might be joining the talent pool, which is a good thing. because he has so many great ideas in his noggin', you see.

basically, i've been hunkering down at the fort trying to suss things out with mr8, and keep mr6's great ideas from running amok. it's probably time for me to get out of the house and do something other than being a parent.

right now i'm at the coffee shop awaiting fresh scones from our local bakery – perfectly flaky and not too sweet. i've got a cuppa joe at my side and a trusty book to read (i carry back up books these days, just in case i finish what i'm reading). today is lovely, exciting adventures are on the horizon, and i'm hoping to have more things for blog fodder happening in the next few weeks. we'll see where this road takes me.