With age comes wisdom?

Over the last year or so I've kind of felt this wave of enlightenment. I didn't know how to explain it. And finally it dawned on me.....I'm getting wise.

When I was younger, it sounded ridiculous to me that people got wise as they aged. I was smart, I had a good head on my shoulders, I made good decisions, I used common sense...so how was it that I was not wise? Well....it all makes sense now.

I'm not all that far from 40 and I certainly do feel wiser. I feel more confident than ever. I feel as if I am making smarter decisions. I have learned how to be a better person, a better friend. I've learned to listen more. I stand up for myself more, but only fight the battles that are worthwhile. I've learned to hold my tongue (and fingers) when I should (but that's still a work in progress). I ask for what I want and make it happen, and I go after my dreams. I've learned what's important in life and where to put my time and energy. I now have the wisdom and experience to know what's really important.

I think youth is a wonderful thing. It's great to have freedom and a world of possibilities, experience new things, make mistakes...to *think* you know it all and not realize til many years later that you really didn't. It's all part of life and growing up. I've always felt the whole "coming of age" thing was not just for teens in movies and books. It can happen at any age. And it can happen more than once in your life...it keeps happening.

So....do you agree?? Does wisdom come with age? Do you think you are wise??

Boy things and Girl things?

I hate when people label things as only for boys or girls.

As a parent, I have always had the attitude that there are not boy things and girl things. I have always encouraged my girl to play with trucks, play sports, enjoy shows about trains, as well as play with dolls, play dress up, and take dance classes. I think the world views this as okay. People have no problem encouraging girls to be well-rounded. But boys, not so much. And this makes no sense to me.

My son has always been naturally drawn to things with wheels. He loves playing with cars, loves watching car races, loves riding his bike. But as the second child with an older sister, he has always been around traditional girly things. We've never discouraged him from playing with his sister's toy kitchen or her My Little Pony and Littlest Pet Shop figures. When it came time to start signing him up for extra curriculars, soccer was his first. He has always seemed very coordinated and likes running around outside and doing sports type things. It seemed like a natural fit. And so far, it has been. He no longer does soccer, but started tee ball this year. His sister dances and does theater camp, and he has never shown interest, but if he does, I wouldn't deny him.

My son used to say he didn't want to watch certain shows because they were "girl shows." They weren't. They were older kid shows geared toward tweens, like Good Luck Charlie and Shake It Up. I think he said that because they were shows his sister watches. Because he has no problem what so ever with Dora the Explorer, Doc McStuffins, and Sophia the First.

I'm sure people are wondering what I'd do if my son ran up to me with a tutu in hand and wanted to wear it. He's never done it, but I'd like to think I'd be open-minded enough to let him wear it. It's just a tutu. He's five.

My baby boy is 4 today!!

How fast time flies! :) You hear people say that all the time. But honestly, I never really felt it until I had kids. They really do grow up so fast. They learn so fast. They change so fast. A few months makes a world of difference in their lives.  And my baby boy is now 4!

I think most parents are stuck between wishing their kids would stop growing and stay small forever, and wishing they would grow just a little faster. As kids grow up, they become more independant and need us less. And that can be so sad. Here is this baby who you've cared for and nurtured...they are your world...but gradually they just don't need you they way they once had.

But on the other hand, independent kids mean mom and dad can semi sorta get back a little more of themselves. Have a little more time to be who they are and not just mom and dad.

I try to enjoy every moment. I know this time is passing fast and one day soon I will wonder where the time has gone. We try to make birthdays special in our house. We have a small party with immediate family, but on each person's actual birthday, the birthday person gets to pick somewhere to go for dinner. Anywhere they want to go. I wonder what my big boy will choose today! :)