Growing kids

My kids are getting so grown up. This week was picture week so I gave them all fresh haircuts. I have been cutting their hair off and on forever. When the funds allow, we have Auntie Nicky give them haircuts. But I think they all will agree, that mom doesn't do so bad either and it's free!
So Katia had her picture day yesterday, Tyler's was on Wednesday, and this year we decided to take advantage of the preschool time for Tayton's to be taken. He was so shy, we could barely get him to look up, much less smile. I hope his picture looks okay. See in this little town, we don't have the choice of let's say, JcPenney studio, or those awesome one hour places. The nearest lower priced studios are in Green Bay, two hours away. We did it once when Tyler and Kat were small, but since then- we've made due with school pics. I tried Walmart a couple times with Tayton and it ended up costing me alot more than I wanted to spend. Who can go in there and pick one pose of their sweet little one and then say that they can just throw away the other shots- it's heartless! And walmart knows that- that's why they take 10 shots- they play on your heartstrings to upsell. So I don't do that anymore...
Once in a while, Katia likes to have her hair put in rollers for the curly look. We did that last night. I nearly cried this morning as she got ready. She looks so grown up.
MY KIDS ARE GROWING UP! Tyler is so cool that yesterday, when he was outside during a walk to the Catherine Bonifas Arts center- 10 blocks away- he was too cool to wear a coat! It was cold yesterday, even more so today- highs in the low 40's- wind chills at 34. BRr. Anyway, I grounded him for that one. Cool or not, he's a sixth grader and needs to use common sense!
Tayton, my little Tayton. He's is spelling out words he sees. Yesterday, I thought I would make the kids some hot chocolate. Tayton has to have apple cider though because of the whole milk allergy. So I spelled out Hot cocoa to the the older too. They said they wanted some. Well, when I gave them all their mugs, Tayton said- I know they have hot cocoa, I want hot cocoa. I about fell over! He's three for goodness sakes! I can usually get away with spelling things until they are like five! I couldn't believe it. Tyler forfeited his for apple cider so that it was a cool boy thing to drink to smooth things over:-)
Tyler took hunter safety at the DNR last month. So he went down the same day and bought his small game license. He and Paul went out together once without any luck. He's only going to shoot what we will eat. I've not had or cooked partridge or grouse, but heard it's good and my dad just gave me a new cookbook that has some good game recipes in it. This weekend they'll likely go out again. He has a bow and could technically hunt deer this year with that, but there's some question as to whether his current pound setting would be enough to kill a deer. So he needs to practice more with that. But because Michigan has lowered the hunting age for the youth, he can hunt next year with a gun! This scares me to death. Obviously I wouldn't let him go alone, but I think with this new rule, they are allowed to! It's crazy. Allowed to hunt at 12, but you can't drive till your 16- what's wrong with this picture?
So I'm forced with the reality that they are growing up. Tyler eats more than Paul and I at dinner time, Katia changes her own earrings and picks out her own outfits in the morning. Tayton is potty trained- he even stays dry all night now and tries to read me back stories when I read to him. He is learning to tie his shoes too. This mom is growing up too. Who'd of thought that when I grow up, I'd enjoy being a mom. I never aspired to be a mom, but it's the best job a girl could have.