Monday, January 24, 2011

Growing up

At seven, Mr7 is a boy. No longer can I pretend he is little. Despite the fact that I can look into his face and still see the chubby-cheeked toddler who loved The Wiggles. Now he is all arms, legs and oversized front teeth; Harry Potter, Star Wars, bakugans and Ninjas.

Which is not to say that he does not continue to surprise and enchant me.

Today was not a good day in the Fibro. It was an end-of-school-holidays, irritable, itchy, scratchy kind of day. An icky, sticky, humid kind of day. The kind of day that had us all climbing the walls and shouting at each other.

In an effort to calm things down, we went for a walk. He didn't want to come. He stood on the front verandah, humphing, right up until the point where Mr4 and I turned out of the driveway and went out of sight behind next door's peach tree.

"Waaaaiiiittt!" came the shriek from behind me.

We waited at the corner. He ambled over, then refused to go further, standing on the corner, humphing, watching us walk away, right up until the point where we were about to cross the next street.

"Waaaaaiiiitttt!" came the shriek from behind me.

We waited at the corner. He ambled over... and so on.

Once we actually gathered some momentum, the walk went well and we were all in a much better frame of mind on the way home. We passed a crepe myrtle tree.

"How many kinds of blossoms are there, Mum?" he asked, always one for a difficult question.

Lots.

A gentle breeze blew, lifting the clothes that were stuck to us (along with our spirits), cooling the sweat on our skin, sending crepe myrtle blossoms billowing to the earth.

"Look Mum," said Mr7, dancing with joy as white petals landed on his arms. "A flower shower."

And that's why I will never really put him out with the recycling, despite my darkest, direst threats.


{image: via weheartit.com}

23 comments:

  1. Thats gorgeous Al. I can picture your walk and the flower shower.

    I threaten mine with the pound. although these days i threaten Michael with me leaving and finding a new house and he can look after the rest of them.

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  2. That was beautiful. Gorgeous.

    And I love the word Humphing. Mine does that.

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  3. My Mstr7 does humphing too. I must admit that for the last seven years, he hasn't given me much problem in the temper department, and if humphing is his worst, then that's not so bad.

    I liked it when your boy called it a "flower shower", very imaginative!

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  4. Must have been the day for it! My 3 year old boy was at his testing best also. Heat & humidity doesn't help a volatile situation... nor does lack of sleep for that matter. The evening cool change has also restored a sense of calm around here. (Liking the recycling threat!)

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  5. Oh the joys of boys!
    I can so relate to this post!

    My son (3.5) tests my patience, some days on an hourly basis, to the point where I sit with my head in my hands and wonder what the hell I'm doing wrong - and then, he'll come out with something so innocent, yet so meaningful & sweet & I feel like an evil bitch for ever even thinking about being mad at him.

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  6. I recognise all those things. Moody little boys. Thinking they are much bigger and know sooo much! Still I don't put mine out with the trash either! The hugs and warm cuddle, which are too frequent these days. make up for all the shouting and grumpyness thats going around these days.

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  7. My Ms7 dug her sweaty little feet in tonight over a lettuce leaf. One lettuce leaf. It was a battle royale. Bring on the Southerly Buster, and a cool wind please!

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  8. How gorgeous! Lewi has been known to do that humphing thing when I want to go for a walk;) What a treat to have flower shower rain on you all:)

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  9. I bever anticipated this age to be so tricky, so mixed up, to lovely, so torn.

    Flower shower indeed.

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  10. Oh that is so precious. Boys always continue to surprise & delight you just when you think they have turned to the dark side, they say & do the most sweet of things...

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  11. Oh I had that day too! The best medicine is really getting out isn't it?

    GREAT post.

    Here's to Tuesday being a little brighter and less Kuala Lumpurish.

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  12. That was beautiful. Somedays it does feel like a battle, and then a small slither of hope eeks its way in and suddenly you are overcome and you remember why you're doing this parenting thing.

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  13. Ah, he's always been gorgeous. Really. Just need to a dig a little deeper these days. Layers and layers of 'boy' to reach the sweet little human beneath. x

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  14. Ahhh, boys have such charm don't they?
    I am often told i'm missing out because i don't have a girl, but really i don't feel like i am. Boys have a magic all of their own.

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  15. Sounds like life at my house. Mr almost 10 has to have some kind of control over everything ... he'll humph and martyr himself over silly things but suddenly, in spite of himself, he'll forget to be difficult and charm all of us. Love him to bits. xo

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  16. The weather was rather unpleasant yesterday; definitely one of those days. We decided on a trip to the park, and Lil had to be bribed home with the promise of a cold milkshake. From feral screaming toddler to sweet and amenable walking partner in the blink of an eye. It's nice how that happens.

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  17. Boys can get so moody. Missing my youngest today as he started school this morning!

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  18. We could have used a flower shower around here today ... Guess I better go retrieve my children from the recycling and give them another chance tomorrow. =>

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  19. There's always a flower shower moment that saves them huh? We just have to keep looking :) A lovely poetic post :)

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  20. aawww... a flower shower. sweet boy.
    xo

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  21. Awwwww, so beautiful!
    And how gorgeous are the crepe myrtles at the moment!?
    I have one in my back yard that I just can't stop looking at.

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