Member Blogs

We just got back an exhaustingly fantastic trip to Disney World.  I am a self proclaimed member of the cult of Disney.  I just love that place!  Everything about it... Walt was a genius!  As I reflect on our trip to the place where dreams come true.  I appreciate my children at the ages of 2 and 5.   My daughter is the princess of all princesses.  Her eyes sparkled the entire time... okay maybe not the entire time.  But when she was well rested and not too hot she reminded me of myself. 

My son, well he crossed a bittersweet milestone while we were there.  He turned 5!  5!  Such a huge age.  He is about to graduate Preschool and enter the public school system as a big Kindergartener.  As my friend pointed out, that means a raise for mama with one less child in preschool.  But it also means so much.  I can already see the changes in him... good and bad.

His stories have become a little more descriptive as his 5th year came to a close.  His daily descriptions of his day at school have gone from "played with my friends" to detailed stories of who did what and who said what and who got in trouble for saying that.  He has also acquired a very colorful imagination and tells fantastic tales tied to his classmates and the tales they have told. Each version getting bigger and more emphatic. 

His features have begun to changes.  His bleach blonde curls have been cut into a boys cut and darkened into a light shade of brown.  He has slimmed out and has begun running everywhere.  The blue in his eyes have gained a greenish tint similiar to mine.  His competitiveness has increased and is constantly trying to outdo his younger sister and cousins.

It was never more apparent than at Disney.  My daughter had an endless list of choices on the shelves.  Jake had a small section of Star Wars to choose from.  No longer did he go for the Mickey Mouse gear.  His Buzz and Lightning interest was more selective than our trip 3 years ago.  He was more courageous with trying rides and shows.  He even stayed awake for night time events.  Yes, my baby boy is growing into a boy's boy. 

I treasure the evenings when he is tired from his day of running and stories told.  The time of night where he still prefers to curl up on the couch with his mom and read a book.  I know I am in for a lot more changes in the coming years.  I will still picture my Jake with sun bleached curls, oversized pants and big smile standing in the beach dunes, innocent and sweet.    I am excited for what he has in front of him and cling to the few years that have already past.