My friend R is in labor this morning, way out in Washington state. It’s the weirdest thing, the weather here is wet and soggy and warmish (50′s) and out there it’s cold and snowy. I wish I could swap weather because they are driving through treacherous streets to get to the hospital (salt and plows are both in short supply out there). And I confess, a part of me is even jealous of the laboring. Which just shows you how long it’s been since I gave birth.

A~ will be 15 in just a few weeks. Fifteen! How is that possible? Last night we sat together on the couch with Pixie sleeping between us watching Warehouse 13 on Netflix and I had this moment of just soaking it all in. He’s growing up so fast. I wish I could slow time down, or capture those moments in a bottle. (cue Jim Croce singing “time in a bottle”… and feel even older watching that video!)

Meanwhile, I’m antsy for life to move along. We’re in that in-between place, getting the house ready to go on the market, not really sure when exactly we’ll get that ball rolling. Husband is still waiting to find out what is happening with work and even though we’d like the house selling to be over and done with, it would be better to sell in the spring and let the kids finish out the school year. I’m like, out of sinc with myself. Which, truth be told, is nothing new.

My big project this weekend was helping A~ clean out his closet. When we moved here a lot of stuff from his old room got shoved in the closet and immediately forgotten. And since then additional stuff was dumped and forgotten. Note to Aunts, Uncles and Grandparents: Please stop sending my kids kits for Christmas. I think I pulled out of his closet like 4 different science and rocket type kits that were still brand new in the box. Clearly, we are just not “kit” people. Also shoved in a corner was A~’s favorite stuffed dogs, rubbed raw and well-loved, and his blue blanket that faded to a soft bluish gray, its silk edges long ago rubbed away. I still remember the day I laid that blanket over him for the first time when he was just ten months old. It was a bigger version of his security blanket that he adored and he got the cutest giddiest smile on his face.

A~ and Blue Blanket, the early days

Look at what I have turned into! Cleaning a closet turns me into a sappy mess! Sheesh!

In other news, R~ had her first official sleepover this weekend. At our house, because I am still not ready to let her go to someone else’s house. (and given her recent track record for showing up next to my bed at 2am with bad dreams or cold symptoms, probably a prudent choice) The girls did great, but poor Zeeb did not know what to do with himself. It’s like he’s R~’s twin and can’t function outside of her radius. He just wanders the house looking lost and sighing a lot. I’m just a little concerned what he’ll do in a couple weeks when R~ starts homeschooling. And oh goodness I’m just now thinking to worry about the bus ride. He had a run-in with a little girl on the bus back in October (?) that ended with actual hitting (!!!) and I had to call on R~ to sit with him and keep her eye on things for a couple of months. I really hope nothing starts up once Big Sister isn’t there watching. [for the record, I'm blaming the little girl. And not just because Zeeb is an angel. Because he isn't. But R~ told me the same girl got into it with another boy on the bus a few weeks later. Apparently she just sits down next to them and starts pushing buttons. Which like, What?!]

I’m so distracted this morning. Apologies for the disjointed post. I must go shop online now. Baby gifts!!

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