15 Months

We were walking in the door from school.  I was on the phone with my mom talking about who knows what.  Out of the corner of my eye I saw the plate fall off the mantel and I heard it shatter.  I hung up the phone yelling "what happened!?"

First order of business was pick up the glass and yell at those without shoes on to stay away.  G was walking up behind me saying, oh no, oh no, oh no.  Over and over again.  I was mad - like really dude?  we just walked in the door?  And how did you manage this?  I was mystified.

So.  What did you do?

I was kicking off my shoe - ah.  I see.

The plate was something I made.  For the cost of the plate (I think like $5?)  With their handprints last year.  A Christmas tree with baby Julia's little 10mo hand print, D's 3, G's 5.  I painted Christmas lights around it.

I knew when I put it on the mantel it was risky.  I just ... felt it.  Last year I kept it behind the stove.  This year I guess I was just tempting fate.

G was devastated.  He cried and cried and I could tell he was worried I might kill him.   We did the whole - mom is really sad this was very important to her schpeal.  He kept saying we could do it again and in my agitated state I wanted to scream - not with Julia's little baby handprint!  I did not yell that at my poor, sad 6yo.  I just said, it wouldn't be the same G.  This is one of those things that you can't make better.

And honestly I think that's a really, really important thing to learn.  Some things break and you can't fix them.  Whether it's from flinging your shoe off or careless words or pushing someone.  Some things you can not take back.  Some things can not be replaced.

But I've glued it.  All the pieces aren't there so there's broken bits around the hands but it's there.  I did it.  I think if I put some more modpodge over it it might even be semi-safe to handle (you can't eat on the thing even before).  The story is kinda of funny. And I was talking to our babysitters mom ... apparently it's not even an original.  Same thing happened to her Christmas plate when her oldest was having a pillow fight throughout the house.

I look at their faces individually and they still look young, but man, are they growing up fast.  I mean G forget it - that kid is a kid and his babyhood is way behind him.  Every time I go to pick him up he weighs a gob more (thank you blessed Lord).  But D ... all things being relative I can't fathom it.  I picked him up from school today and he looks different.  Just more mature!  Like he grew while he was gone.

And J ... Depends on the day and how she holds her face but I can see her maturing too.

I don't know why any of this shocks me.  It's normal.  It's right.  It's what happens.  But the holidays make everyone sentimental and we just go through all the memories and marvel at how fast time flies.

Julia is 21 months old.  21.  As in 3 months shy of her second birthday.  At 25 months old we moved David to a twin bed.  I can not imagine moving J.  One - she loves her crib and her room and there is no reason.  And two ... um, she's the baby, and clearly not ready for a big girl bed.

I mean clearly.

They drive me crazy and some days I wonder if I'm doing my best by them.  But there's no take backs and they're stuck with me.  So I guess we'll continue to muddle along having fun when we can, working hard when we have to, and laughing as much as possible.