The Scary Side of Being a Parent

Last week I heard that an eighth grader in my town, someone’s little boy, took his life.  As a mom, the mere thought of this tares me into pieces.  It makes my heart ache for that child, for that child’s parents, that child’s family.  It scares me to pieces that something can make a child feel things are helpless, hopeless.  Then today I read this.  And Oh. My. Gosh.  Being a parent is so frightening.  I looked at my little monsters tonight, whose lives’ are entrusted to me, and realized that right now this is the easy stuff.  I’ve stumbled … Read more

Kids say the Darndest Things

Yesterday when I got the boys up we all boisterously sang Happy Birthday to Will.  Sam loved every second of it.  I quickly got them dressed and ready for school. I was walking Sam out to the car in the beautiful 60 degree weather when he stopped dead in his tracks and said “Gama! Happy Birthday to you Gama!” I. Kid. You. Not. I don’t know where it came from.  We hadn’t talked about Grandma Linda all morning.  I hadn’t made a big deal of her birthday to the boys.  It was completely out of nowhere. Sort of makes you … Read more

Brotherly Love

  Yesterday I was driving my boys to daycare.  Will was not happy about being in his car seat and was screaming. All of a sudden Sam started singing a song for his brother.  “Will, will, crying crying.  Will, Will yay!”  (He’s destined for stardom!) Followed shortly by demands, “Will, hand.  Will, hand.” I looked in my rear view mirror just in time to watch them each reach out their little arms to hold hands.  Fits of giggles from both followed. My. Heart. Exploded.  I freaking LOVE these kids.  How darn lucky am I?  How darn lucky are they to … Read more

Holding My Breath

Every three months I hold my breath.  Hoping for the best but frozen by the thought of the worst.  I squeeze Sam a little bit tighter, rock him a little bit longer, tell him I love him a little bit louder.  I fight my anxiety and tell the negative voice inside my head to shut up! You see Sam has a genetic disorder called Beckwith Wiedemann Syndrome (BWS).  BWS is a congenital growth disorder.  We are thankful that on the spectrum of disorders, this one will likely have a minimal impact on Sam’s life.  In fact, we wouldn’t have even … Read more