I hate seeing pictures of Suri Cruise.
I know, that's totally crazy, right?
I have always "followed" celebrity babies born around the same time as my children. For example, my son D was born in the spring of 2004. I remember that around the same time Gwyneth Paltrow gave birth to Apple, Courtney Cox had Coco, Kate Hudson had Ryder, and Debra Messing had Roman. Whenever I see pictures of these kids (which I often do, as long-time People Magazine subscriber) I think to myself, "Oh, Kid X is the same age as D! They are at the same stage in life.". Weird, I know, but I love thinking that the age-appropriate challenges I have with D are shared by these celebrities, whether it is teething, potty training, or testing limits.
When A was born in the summer of 2006, there were also lots of celebrities having babies at the same time. Gwytheth Paltrow again gave birth, this time to Moses (hey, our kids are spaced apart the same!), Gwen Stefani had Kingston, and Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt had Shiloh.
And, of course, Tom Cruise and Katie Holmes had Suri.
For some reason, seeing Suri has always made me sad...even more so than the other babies born around the same time as A. While A was struggling to survive in the NICU, Suri was wearing designer onesies. While A was learning how to sit up at one year old, Suri was sightseeing in Italy. While A was learning to crawl at two years old, Suri was walking down the street wearing designer high heels. While A was learning how to drink at three years old, Suri was seeing plays on Broadway. And in this week's People Magazine, a week before she turns four, there is a picture of Suri choosing a nail polish color at Sephora.
I don't know why it bugs me, but it does. Suri is like the opposite of A. Whereas A has had an extended toddlerhood, due to her delays, Suri is precocious. I would never want that for either of my kids---I want them to have an actual childhood---but it always bums me out that A is so behind. Actually, a few weeks ago I walked into Sephora with A, and she enjoyed walking around, but she has no clue what nail polish even is, let alone what shade of red looks good with her skin tone.
Suri is a beautiful child, and I have nothing against her. But know you know why I don't like looking at two-page layouts celebrating her. I think that there should be a two-page layout done celebrating MY beautiful, smart, brave, and miraculous little girl.
April 14, 2010
April 12, 2010
Slipping Through My Fingers
Today, my oldest child, D, turned 6.
I cannot believe he is 6 already. Last year at this time, I was sobbing because he was 5...and the year before that I was crying because he was 4....etc....etc.
I distinctly remember being in the hospital after giving birth to him. I was there for several days, since I had had a c-section. When he was 2 days old, I cried to my husband that it was going so fast already. "He's 2 days old! Time is just slipping by!" I realized, even then when he was just days old, that his childhood would slip by before I knew it. And here it is, 6 years later, and it seems that hardly a day has gone by since I gave birth to him.
Sometimes I wish I could stop time and freeze my kids where they are now. They are so adorable....but every age has been adorable for me. Yes, each stage has it's ups and downs, but I think, at least I HOPE, that I have truly enjoyed my kids at each stage.
I try my best to capture the moment. I take pictures (most yet to be put in a scrapbook, but still...) and take videos when I can. Both my husband and I each write a letter to each child on their birthdays, chronicling their previous year, and this helps me remember what they liked to eat, watch on tv, play with, etc. But most of all I try to stay in the present moment and BE with my kids.
The last part of that paragraph is where I often find myself failing. I am not the best play-on-the-floor type of mom. Don't get me wrong; I have spent countless hours playing board games, dollhouse, babies, and blocks. But I can't do that stuff endlessly; it's mind numbing to me and although I love playing with them it has to be in short bursts. Plus, I have laundry to do, a house to de-clutter, appointments to make, dinner to cook; in short, other things that also need to be done. I try to include the kids when I can (A especially loves to help fold laundry and cook) but they can't, or don't want to, do it all.
I don't want to be an old lady and look back on my kids' childhoods and wonder where it went. And that's how I already feel, even with my oldest child only 6! I feel like it's all slipping through my fingers....I'm trying to hold a gallon of water in the palm of my hand, yet watching it quickly slip away. I am painfully aware of how quick it all goes, and want to savor it all.
I cannot believe he is 6 already. Last year at this time, I was sobbing because he was 5...and the year before that I was crying because he was 4....etc....etc.
I distinctly remember being in the hospital after giving birth to him. I was there for several days, since I had had a c-section. When he was 2 days old, I cried to my husband that it was going so fast already. "He's 2 days old! Time is just slipping by!" I realized, even then when he was just days old, that his childhood would slip by before I knew it. And here it is, 6 years later, and it seems that hardly a day has gone by since I gave birth to him.
Sometimes I wish I could stop time and freeze my kids where they are now. They are so adorable....but every age has been adorable for me. Yes, each stage has it's ups and downs, but I think, at least I HOPE, that I have truly enjoyed my kids at each stage.
I try my best to capture the moment. I take pictures (most yet to be put in a scrapbook, but still...) and take videos when I can. Both my husband and I each write a letter to each child on their birthdays, chronicling their previous year, and this helps me remember what they liked to eat, watch on tv, play with, etc. But most of all I try to stay in the present moment and BE with my kids.
The last part of that paragraph is where I often find myself failing. I am not the best play-on-the-floor type of mom. Don't get me wrong; I have spent countless hours playing board games, dollhouse, babies, and blocks. But I can't do that stuff endlessly; it's mind numbing to me and although I love playing with them it has to be in short bursts. Plus, I have laundry to do, a house to de-clutter, appointments to make, dinner to cook; in short, other things that also need to be done. I try to include the kids when I can (A especially loves to help fold laundry and cook) but they can't, or don't want to, do it all.
I don't want to be an old lady and look back on my kids' childhoods and wonder where it went. And that's how I already feel, even with my oldest child only 6! I feel like it's all slipping through my fingers....I'm trying to hold a gallon of water in the palm of my hand, yet watching it quickly slip away. I am painfully aware of how quick it all goes, and want to savor it all.
April 10, 2010
Race Day!!!!!
Well, today was race day. If you are new to this blog, you can see my original post
In a word, it was AMAZING!!
Yesterday we had gone to the race expo, where we picked up the kids' shirts, bibs, and goodie bags, so they were all ready to go first thing this morning. My first runner was my son, D, who did the half mile. They were running by age groups, and I let him run with the 6 year olds (and his friends) even though he is 5....he will be 6 in 2 days and the organizers said it was okay. This was his very first race, and he was pumped. The parents were allowed to run with the kids, although the kids had to start ahead of the parents. The sounding bell went off, and the kids started running ahead. I ran for a bit, and suddenly came across D walking. He had started out with a sprint, and quickly burned himself out! I was thrilled to find him on the race course so we were able to run the rest together. For a while we even held hands running! At the end, he crossed the finish line, and received a cool medal around his neck. His final chip time was 5:33, meaning he was running an 11 minute mile. I was so proud.
After the 5-and 4-year-olds did their races, it was time for the 3 years olds to do thei 50 yard Toddler Trot. The whole family did it with A. Even A's physical therapist came...after all, she has been working with A for 2 1/2 years now, and said she HAD to be there for A's first race! Because there were so many 3 year olds, they divided them into waves of 10 kids each. When A's wave came, she was off and walking at the sound of the bell. The look on her face was priceless. She had a smile on her face a mile wide, and was obviously having a blast AND was proud of herself. Of course, the 9 other kids finished their race very quickly, and soon all was left on the course was A. There were TONS of spectators on either side of the course, and they were all cheering her on. Toward the end, the announcer on the loud speaker even said her name, both first and last. telling everyone to cheer for her. The funniest part was when she came to the finish line, she stopped short, and didn't want to cross it! The announcer said (on the loudspeaker, of course) that she was having too much fun to cross it! I took her hand and we crossed it together, where she received a medal of her own.
This race meant so much to me, and to my husband, J. To most people, it was something fun for their 3 year olds to do. For us, it was a milestone. A huge milestone. This girl didn't really start walking until 3 months ago, at the age of 42 months (3 1/2 years old). If someone had told me on New Year's Day that a few months later she would be doing this, I would have laughed at them....at that time, her record for walking was about 50 steps. I cried the whole time...tears of happiness, of course. We captured the whole 50 yards on video and with my camera, but I will never forget the feeling I had, watching her, seeing her pride, witnessing this accomplishment.
Next year D will be with the 7 year olds and have to do a full mile. A will be with the 4 year old group, and instead of 50 yards she will do a quarter mile. I have no doubt they will both be able to do it. We will start training tomorrow!
In a word, it was AMAZING!!
Yesterday we had gone to the race expo, where we picked up the kids' shirts, bibs, and goodie bags, so they were all ready to go first thing this morning. My first runner was my son, D, who did the half mile. They were running by age groups, and I let him run with the 6 year olds (and his friends) even though he is 5....he will be 6 in 2 days and the organizers said it was okay. This was his very first race, and he was pumped. The parents were allowed to run with the kids, although the kids had to start ahead of the parents. The sounding bell went off, and the kids started running ahead. I ran for a bit, and suddenly came across D walking. He had started out with a sprint, and quickly burned himself out! I was thrilled to find him on the race course so we were able to run the rest together. For a while we even held hands running! At the end, he crossed the finish line, and received a cool medal around his neck. His final chip time was 5:33, meaning he was running an 11 minute mile. I was so proud.
After the 5-and 4-year-olds did their races, it was time for the 3 years olds to do thei 50 yard Toddler Trot. The whole family did it with A. Even A's physical therapist came...after all, she has been working with A for 2 1/2 years now, and said she HAD to be there for A's first race! Because there were so many 3 year olds, they divided them into waves of 10 kids each. When A's wave came, she was off and walking at the sound of the bell. The look on her face was priceless. She had a smile on her face a mile wide, and was obviously having a blast AND was proud of herself. Of course, the 9 other kids finished their race very quickly, and soon all was left on the course was A. There were TONS of spectators on either side of the course, and they were all cheering her on. Toward the end, the announcer on the loud speaker even said her name, both first and last. telling everyone to cheer for her. The funniest part was when she came to the finish line, she stopped short, and didn't want to cross it! The announcer said (on the loudspeaker, of course) that she was having too much fun to cross it! I took her hand and we crossed it together, where she received a medal of her own.
This race meant so much to me, and to my husband, J. To most people, it was something fun for their 3 year olds to do. For us, it was a milestone. A huge milestone. This girl didn't really start walking until 3 months ago, at the age of 42 months (3 1/2 years old). If someone had told me on New Year's Day that a few months later she would be doing this, I would have laughed at them....at that time, her record for walking was about 50 steps. I cried the whole time...tears of happiness, of course. We captured the whole 50 yards on video and with my camera, but I will never forget the feeling I had, watching her, seeing her pride, witnessing this accomplishment.
Next year D will be with the 7 year olds and have to do a full mile. A will be with the 4 year old group, and instead of 50 yards she will do a quarter mile. I have no doubt they will both be able to do it. We will start training tomorrow!
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