my *almost* freshman twins

 So this was just a hot minute ago...

I remember the day clearly, the feelings of disbelief that my (at the time) middles, 'the twins', were going for kindergarten orientation.  

'They're so big!'  I thought.

'How can they be growing up so fast?' I wondered.

Then I pulled one of my famous "I'm just going to close my eyes for five minutes" routines.  (the ones that make Ian chuckle quietly as our Transit heads down the road as he turns up the volume on NPR because he knows by now what that means.

In this case closing my eyes for five minutes translated to *just a wee bit* longer.  Because here I stand bouncing between 'the (older) twins' (cause yeah, since their kindy orientation we've grown by another set of 'twins') for their high school orientation.

HIGH SCHOOL.

What in the world?  

I guess they felt it was okay to follow in the footsteps of their older sister who has blazed the trail before them.  Or time just keeps marching on.  Something like that.  

Whatever it is, here we are nine impossibly short years later.  My big twins are on the brink of being high school freshman. 

It just doesn't quite seem possible...

(Covid times = virtual orientations)

taking his birthday to new heights

Something happened today.

I was thinking about celebrating this little guy.

october 8, 2009 ~ his third birthday but first at home with us

And then realized just how not so little he is today.

Okay, I guess the height thing has been a while in coming, after all he's been bragging that he's taller than me for weeks now.  But it was just today, on his 14th that we paused to stand back to back. I don't know about taller, but he has caught me.  We took several pictures, some made it look like he had the edge, others that I was still in the lead.  Then Ian settled the matter by getting out the level.  That bubble lined up dead even, so there's that...

Caleb's birthday was also our second M8 "kid quarantine birthday."  We're having to flex our creativity muscles to find fun, unique ways to celebrate each of our kids.  

Balloons covering the floor of your "classroom" are fun.

Right?

Thankfully he seemed to think so. 

Blowing up 120 balloons may have taken a bit longer than we anticipated.  But the look on his face when he walked into the living room, the impromptu "bunting balloon" baseball game during recess time and the balloon drawings totally was worth the effort.

More specific, this kid and his smile are totally worth the effort!  

Which would be why I experimented with individual lava cakes.

As it turns out, apparently my oven runs a bit hotter than the Pioneer Woman's oven.  12 minutes got us a dense, fudgy center but not true lava cakes.

Luckily he was too busy changing his candles to read 41 instead of 14 and licking the homemade ice cream off the edge of his plate to complain.  

he may be bigger, but he's still the same "cake licker" kid at heart...

october 15, 2009, celebrating his third again at grandma's

Not that he would anyway.  Food ~ and the heart that goes behind making it ~ has been and remains the way to this kid's heart.  I accidentally overlooked the noodles for his requested Pad See Ew and he smiled and said they tasted delicious.  He had a fudge center to his cake rather than "molten lava" and commented that it was like what he remembered from Sweet Tomatoes where he was first introduced to lava cakes.  

If only we could all be so forgiving...

In addition to needing to think creatively about ways to celebrate Caleb, we also had to get creative in gifts.  He's just a content kid and didn't have much to offer in ways of suggestions.  (others of the kids start listing off what they want for their next birthday within a week of the big day...not this one).

So we had to take some clues. 

He's gone through about five pairs of earbuds, always complaining that they hurt his ears.

Wireless, noise cancelling headphones for the win.

He tested to see what "water resistant" means by wearing his watch while swimming one day at Mom's and found out it doesn't mean the same as "waterproof."  Later he took apart said watch to see what was inside, but still wore it even though the face was blank.  

New, cool, sporty watch on a para-cord band for the second win.

And have I mentioned that the way to this kids heart is carbs?

Box three with all the types of shrimp crackers Grand Asia had to offer and a Reese's variety pack for the third ~ and perhaps favorite ~ win.

So here we are at 14.  Covid surfer hair, crazy tall and the funniest of the bunch.

Caleb LuTao,

Where are the years going?  Not so long ago you were my tiny little guy and in a waytoshort for me time I'm going to be looking up at you.  Thankfully while your height and age continue to creep up on me, your personality remains much the same.  Our family can always count on you to lighten a situation and bring smiles and laughter.  And while you often come across as aloof, with encouragement you still give the best hugs...thankfully not the tree frog hug you were once famous for ~ I think we'd both end up on the floor if you tried that one again.  Your heart is pure gold and even though we can count on you to tell us everything is boring, I appreciate your willingness to go along with the flow, part of the territory that comes with being part of a big family.  Your natural curiosity often comes close to killing the cat, but thankfully your common sense has always stepped in.  While it sometimes appears you aren't listening, I'm often humbled by your insight during our family devotion times.  And more and more frequently Daddy and I find ourselves being complimented on what a kind, caring and responsible young man you are becoming.  Thanks for making us look good.

I love you more than perfect rice noodles in pad see ew and molten centers in lava cake!

Mama

a rock made me nostalgic today

It's funny how the *seemingly* most random things can cause waves of nostalgia to wash over and nearly overwhelm a person.

Today this little rock took me back a decade.

Not so much for what it was.

Rather because of where it was...

btw, no hating or judgement on the condition of my dryer please.  that baby sees more than your average use...

It reminded me of days LONG gone by.

I'll let you read this post from nearly ten years ago as I go take care of the *sudden allergy attack* that has me all misty eyed...

**************************************************

9.26.2010

Sunday Snapshot {Love letters}

Late the other night as I switched a load of clothes from the washer to the dryer, I heard a loud thunk as something dropped into the bottom of the basket.  At first I got a bit excited as I thought I'd found some money.  (Never mind that one thunk could at most mean a silver dollar).

The causal observer would think I was totally nuts be have smiled the way I did when I reached in and pulled out...

...a rock.

And then I went to add it to my ever growing collection.

A random assortment of rocks, berries, hickory nuts, leaves, sticks, caterpillar grass, clover, purple flowers from monkey grass...  Things that to others could easily be classified as trash.

But when they come from my "free anna haf, awlmost four!" son, they aren't bits of refuse meant to be tossed aside immediately.

Rather, they are a collection of love letters, written before he has his alphabet mastered.  Little bits of beauty in nature that catch his eye.  And that he wants to share with me.  

So when we take a walk, my pockets are often overflowing.

Originally I used to discourage him from handing me all these bits of wonder.  I tried to push them back on him, saying things like, "Oh, that's a lovely rock.  I wouldn't want to take it from you."  But over time, I've developed a new attitude.  These days I simply wear shorts with big pockets when we go walking so that I accept all my treasures and smile.  After all, what fun is a treasure if you can't share it with someone you love?

Because one day, he'll be a little bit older.  Other things ~ like perhaps soccer, girls, and schoolwork ~ will occupy his mind, and he'll cease finding wonder in a sparkly rock or a bright yellow buttercup, or a smooth stick.  One day he will stop handing me these little love letters.

And since I never know which will be the last one, I smile and receive them while they still come.  As if they were the most eloquent love letters ever written.

Happy 13 candles to you!

Caleb,

I look at the young man you are today and almost have to shake my head in disbelief.  While I remember you well as the cheeky toddler that walked into my life almost eleven years ago now, my most concentrated memories of you are at age 5.

I think that is the year you truly came alive and we saw your personality burst through like never before.  Or maybe it is because while the face has matured into that of a man child, the grin and that mischievous glint in your eye hasn't changed one bit...
Though perhaps your eyes do disappear just a little more when you giggle now.

 Aside from constant holes in the knees of your pants, wearing out your sneakers long before their time and growing so fast it has been nearly impossible to keep you in jeans that are long enough (if you'll wear jeans...shorts seem to be your jam even on 20 degree days) you have been such an easy kid.

If we could all adopt your happy go lucky attitude and relaxed vibe I think the world would be a better place.

At 13 you are in your third year of tricking/parkour.  It is so fun to watch you "do your thing" at the gym.  It blows my mind how you can flip yourself around and pull of crazy stunts with ease.

Beyond going to Enso, you enjoy reading (yeah...five years ago I never thought I'd type that about you), mostly Percy Jackson, the Alex Rider series and most any graphic novel you can get your hands on and playing Minecraft, usually with your siblings.

I appreciate that you are comfortable enough in our mother/son relationship to tell me that I'm a little bit "cringy" when I pick up a hairbrush and use it as a microphone to sing during impromptu kitchen or car karaoke moments.  And I love you enough to rebake your birthday cake on a super busy day...turns out that you do need to pay attention to what size cake pans the recipe calls for.

Keep smiling my love.  Keep making other people smile.

I look forward to the day you determine how you are going to use your natural gifts and talents in a career path...you have more going for you than many.
You are loved beyond what you can imagine.
My heart is yours...

Meanwhile back home...

I have to take a hot minute to brag on these pretty amazing teen and tween humans that just so happen to be my kids. 

(photo taken on March 9, DQ's birthday but also "triplet day")

There has been the stress of Nicholas's upcoming surgeries, but also the feeling of dread of being away from the rest of our crew for a while. When I realized I'd be missing the elementary school musical that both Daniel and Nat would be part of, this crew volunteered to walk the mile from the middle school in 90+ degree heat (instead of catching an air conditioned ride home) to be there for their little siblings.  

I  this trio more than words can say...

last six months of tweendom

"Among those who I like or admire, I can find no common denominator, but among those who I love, I can: all of them make me laugh." - W. H. Auden

Not a day passes without this one bringing a belly laugh. Yes, he occasionally suffers from "tween angst and boredom," but I challenge anyone to find a kid more joyful by nature.
Happy half birthday my son. I love you more than all the sand you were covered in... Make this last six months of "tweendom" count!
PS ~ Thanks for having a half birthday so we can go for donuts. 

Triple 12s

Our bigs.

The original trio.

The three amigos.

The Three Caballeros.

They drive each other CRAZY.

And yet they are thick as thieves.

The age span among them is 364 days and so once a year we have a magical day known as "Triplet Day" in the M8 house.

This year it was triple 12s.

Where has time gone...

*we were still jet lagged due to our return from China on Triple Three day, sadly I missed it*

triple fours

triple fives...plus photo bombing little bro...in the Magic Kingdom

triple sixes

triple sevens

triple eights

triple nines...with a 'tude

triple tens

triple elevens

my three tweens

Despite what they say, I'm pretty sure they do actually like each other.
The only other person in the house is me so there is plenty of couch space that they could spread out on...

#theywilllallbetwelvetomorrow!

"cultural values" at the art museum

About to get our "search for cultural values in art" field trip on. 

Love time with my twins...even if a group of 120+ sixth graders is a bit...um...let's say awkward and goofy.