December 6, 2011
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It's Below Freezing
The 12 year old, who is now taller than both of his older sisters and taller than me, outgrew the winter coat that was supposed to last through this year, too. So we unexpectedly went coat shopping last night, which of course turned into more as the other kids chimed in with what they needed.
"Where are we going?" he asked as we headed to the car with his teenaged sisters in tow.
"TJ Maxx," I said.
He groaned, "Why? I hate TJ Maxx."
"Yeah, but your sister needs something from there."
"What?"
"You don't want to know," I said.
"What?" he insisted again.
"Bras. I need bras," his sister said from the back seat.
"Argh!" he yelled covering his ears. "Enough! Stop!"
"What about tampons? Do we need tampons?" one sister asked the other.
"Fine! Whatever! Just stop!" he said.
And I laughed at my man-sized child who still gets freaked out by the mere idea of women's underwear or that we could talk about it so casually.
Last night I also registered him for the ACT. He qualified to take the test in 7th grade because of his high standardized test scores. He dutifully put the test date on his planner and asked if he could have a test prep book. I could not help but notice that my youngest child is in some ways my most grown up child, and that makes me hopeful that I have at least done some of this parenting stuff right. But then, he's not a teenager yet, and I can't imagine his size at 17. 6 feet tall? More? Hopefully the teasing from his sisters will help him be confident and nonchalant about lady things. And hopefully he'll have some academic success that will make his senior year easier on me than his sister's.
Comments (8)
Wow, 12 years old and qualified to take the ACT? That's awesome. And I hope he can keep some of that innocence for awhile yet!
It's 81 degrees in Honolulu. I'm not there right now, but I get the weather updates on my phone. That's because I'm wimped out that it's 50 degrees where I live... Below freezing? Clothes shopping with three kids? You're my hero.
@DrTiff - I like it when it is below freezing and I also like it when it is over a hundred. I think that is my favorite thing about the prairie other than the sky - the weather extremes are awesome. I feel human, I guess?
@BettyC - Keeps you alert!
my old one is the responsible one. birth order doesn't predict much, does it?
he sounds like a great kid. and taking the ACT? i took it in 10th grade. and asking for a study book? excellent. add to this the hilarious facebook shot of him fake-chugging the Five Hour Energy Drink? is that the same kid? a great package.
obviously we're all full of pride over our own kids, but this kid of yours sounds amazing.
smarts come from the mother's genes (or so I've read somewheres).
(also-- love LOVE Tjs and Marshalls and Ross-- and of course the consignments and thrifts)
bahaa it's so fun to freak your kids out with talk of tampons and undergarments. and by "kids" i also mean "grown men."
The ACT already? That's pretty awesome.
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