Kids

Brianne and Marcus were in awe that at their age I was already a mother of a 4 year old (Brianne). They can't visualize themselves as parents yet at 26-27. They just got a second dog and think this is a big responsibility. But a baby?? They say someday but not soon.

How do you prepare for parenthood? You can read the books, you can observe others, you can babysit. But when it comes down to raising children, it takes you unawares. Every kid is different. How different? You can never tell. I thought both Brianne and Aaron would be fairly similar as they have the same parents but that wonderful blend of chromosomes yields a completely new person every time. And then there's Nicole, different dad but so totally different from the others and so unique. Are my kids like me, like Lloyd, like Rob? Yes but no. They are definitely their own persons and that's great. Imagine if you had to relive your life by watching your kids grow.

I think my kids are good kids. Brianne is an adult now although her kid side showed through during the year of the wedding. But that's a bride thing and we aren't going to count that in the larger scheme of things. She is doing good. She has a house - mortgage, car, 2 dogs, a husband and 2 jobs. They bought a time share in Vegas and now they have that cost, but they also have that vacation to look forward to also.

Aaron is coming along. He has been a high maintenance child his whole life. He is still in the me, me, me mode and can be very annoying. He is a senior this year and is looking at getting his real estate license next year or so. The thing I do worry about is that he doesn't have a lot of self confidence and this holds him back. He puts up a brave front, but I think he is scared a lot of the time and this effects his attitude. Maturity is on the horizon and we will help him get there.

Nicole. She is a great kid. Confident and caring. She's not afraid to try things and not afraid to speak her mind. She is very smart and has lot of common sense. She is messy tho and leaves a trail of destruction where ever she goes. We have hopes for college and lots of scholarships. I'm not too worried about her except for her recent obsession with clothing.

Life is good for us.