RAELYNN IS GROWING UP.....

This week has been a real eye opener with Raelynn.  It is crazy the questions she is already asking and subjects we are already addressing.  She will be 7 in July but sometimes I feel like she is 12!  On Monday I pick her up from BGC and she asks me, "Mom, when can I wear deodorant?"  As most of you know in our household honesty comes number one regardless what the subject so I responded, "When your arm pits start to stink."  She informs me that some of her friends have already started wearing deodorant.  I told her then they must stink.  I promised her I would smell her arm pits when we got home and I would let her know.  She always thinks I am so funny and not taking her serious, but when we got home I did as I said.  There was no odor and her response was, "Well we didn't get to play outside very much today so I didn't really sweat."  It is amazing to me how eager little ones are to grow up yet when we are grown up we would LOVE to not have to shave or wear deodorant or anything like that.  So I told her I was happy to get her some deodorant and she was welcome to use it anytime she likes but as of now she did not have to wear it.  The other rule I thought I should address up front was that you DO NOT share deodorant, not with me, not with your Aunts or Cousins and definitely not with your friends.  She had no problem with this rule as we do not allow sharing drinks either!  So anyway, today we get to BGC and as we are walking in Raelynn says, "Mom when do I start wearing a bra?  Some of the girls in my class are already wearing a bra but I don't know why."  So once again we discuss the purpose of the bra and the fact that if she inherits anything from me she will be in High School before wearing a bra is necessary but if she wanted to get some little girl jog bras I was fine with that.  Raelynn takes my hand and says, "Thanks Mom, I am glad you know all this stuff because I haven't learned anything yet!"  If she only knew that at 7, I didn't even know to ask these questions!  I am so happy she is choosing to talk to me about it however, I fear how our conversations will progress as she grows up.  I just hope I can continue to play it cool and seem to address her questions in a direct but light hearted manner.  I think having a girl is a direct expression of God's sense of humor.  You know he watches me and just laughs!!!

So while Raelynn is busy keeping me on my toes about her body, Coop is keeping us on our toes about his but in a different manner.  All week he has complained about a "stomach ache" that is really much closer to his chest than stomach.  In addition, the past 2 nights he has been exhausted when I pick him up and today even turned a little dusky on me around his mouth and nose area.  He can't seem to drink enough liquids and all of this combined with the "seizure" a couple weekends ago are getting me close to making a call to the pediatrician.  I always feel like I walk a fine line between being a cautious mother of a pediatric heart patient and an over reacting paranoid mother.  However, my gut instinct has never misled me yet as Terry reminded me that with Coop we probably cannot be too cautious and to go with my gut instinct.  I will sleep on it tonight and see what happens tomorrow.  It is crazy though how such little signs that things may not be just perfect sure do lead me to give a few more hugs and stop to enjoy the little things more with each of the kids.

As usual......I can't wait to see what tomorrow holds for us :)