Growing Pains

So we think it's gets easier the older our children get, right?

WRONG!

I will start with a little background of my four boys and end with how it all stands today. 

I keep going back to to time when I was a young mother with only one child.  That child, now my 19 year old Daniel. We lived in Aspen at the time and I will admit, it was a bit tough.  Daniel was born with a cleft lip and palate, so most of our time during his first 9 months was spent in and out of Denver Hospital with surgeries and then some.  What a toll that took on us but we were still very proud to have our new son.  But boy, was he a handful! A hellion was more like it. 👿 Soon after, we left Aspen and off to Orlando's Disney World. Yay!
                                                   
                                                                   DANIEL-19

                                                                
After the move to Orlando, I had that itch for another baby. A few years later, my little pumpkin wumpkin Nickolas was born.  Wow, what a peach as a baby. The two brothers were like day and night. I remember pulling my hair out trying to keep up with Daniel, and then turning around to see Nickolas always sweet, relaxed, and always happy. Things have since changed.  Almost like Nickolas and Daniel switched bodies. Nickolas is now 16 and with a very strong mind of his own.  Must take after his mommy.😊
                                              
                                                              NICKOLAS-16

A few years of fun in Orlando, another move was made.  Back to Naples we went just as Nickolas was only a few weeks old.  Great opportunity came up for Dan (my ex).  We sold the house and moved back into the house we kept in Naples.  Kind of was meant to be, I guess.  Plus I was homesick anyway.  My family is in Naples and with two boys in tow, I needed them greatly!

Then came sweet Benjamin!  What a unique little man, now 13. I still can't forget the day he was born. I just had a C Section and the nurse brought me up to the nursery on a gurney along with Dan and my sister Mary.  They pointed out Ben and all I remember saying, "Boy, he has alot of hair. Such dark skin too?"  Well, apparently my gurney only allowed to let me see that one baby.  Everyone laughed and said, "No, look down.  He's right there beneath the window."  Yep, sure enough, there was a little white boy with a bit of hair.  The other child I thought was Benjamin was born the same time. The nurse said if that was my son, I had alot of explaining to do! 😏

                                                                BENJAMIN -13

At the time, as busy as I was with three boys, I was ready to try just one more time to get that girl. 👧 A couple years later, Matthew was born.  And what a little chunky monkey that came out of my body.  My God was he big! I was the biggest I had ever gotten during any pregnancy and I knew I would have the biggest eater of them all.👶  Sure enough, to this day, it has yet to cease.  Matthew is now 11 and will more than likely be the biggest of them all.  Such a sparkling jewel he is.  So happy and so positive!

                                                              MATTHEW -11

Now that you got the idea of how sweet and wonderful my four boys are as I'm patting myself on the back, thanks.....😍  I must say, it really has not gotten any easier and it never will.  I just have to stay focused.  When they are babies, you are grounded on tightly run schedules.  You know the routine, you live it day in and day out.  Easy peasy!  Now let's give you a typical week of how it is the older they get.  Serious growing pains!  Mind you, I am a single Mom as well, which makes it that much harder, but all worth it.

So all the boys are in four different schools.  College, High School, Middle School, and Elementary School.  Just think about all those schedules of classes, teachers, books, homework, friendships, hobbies, employment, chores, doctor appt's, dentists, shopping, dinners, entertainment, scholarships, cars, insurance, running a house, personality of each, and deadlines to make.  That's just the base of it.

Now add in Daniel. Sophomore year in college, doing great, now focusing on aviation and trying to decide how to get there.  He's working, driving much too fast in my opinion, and stays out late when he's off work/school nights.  I can only relax when he's home sleeping in his bed.😴💤

All the while, I am dealing with Nickolas, that now has the freedom of driving, but without a car.  He has since gotten a job at Publix so I'm driving him to and from work 4 times a week. Which really can put a damper on my work.  But, I do it.  On top of that, any moment Nickolas has outside of school and work, he MUST fish. 🐟 A good thing I suppose, but I would appreciate a clean room once in awhile over a fishing trip. He always promises tomorrow it will get done.  That was 5 years ago!  Nickolas is also a diabetic which needs to be carefully maintained, so that weighs on my mind as well.

Then there is Benjamin, my hard working young man that loves football.  🏈  Add  3 practices a week and 1 game each Saturday, and by then, you are wondering how is this even possible anymore?  But I figure it out, thankfully with help of friends and family. I would never make it without all of them. I do want to note this and I guarantee his brothers will all agree.  Benjamin is truly the man of the house and makes sure all is maintained, whether it's the yard, garage, and chores that need to get done.  He does not miss a beat!

Lastly, is my bouncy innocent Matthew that seems to either disappear into the unknown, where-ever it may be.  Conjuring up projects in the yard that never get completed (I have 2 large holes in my yard now, just to let you know).  Or lately it seems he's breaking too many arms! OMG! All the while he must be dropped off three times a week at school for his fitness fun and math club. A good solid soul he is.😇

                                                                 Love you boys!

 

So there you have just a piece of growing pains.  And I want to give word to the wise. With this day and age, having four children is much too much. Even my boys see that.  One or two is fine, but think about the future of not only you, but the future of your family all around as well.

Have to go now.  It's a weekend so I know I have to be somewhere soon! 😁