“A portrait of my children once a week, every week, in 2014.”

Lillia: It seems like everything is happening all at once this week! Today you are attempting to earn your “brown belt” in Karate Math (a program used by the school to help kids learn their multiplication & division facts). Regardless of the outcome, I just want you to know how proud I am of how far you’ve progressed since you went back to school in October. You didn’t know any multiplication or division six months ago, and now you know pretty much all the facts — and you learned them all on your own! On top of that huge achievement you also have your big dance performance this weekend. Yesterday when I dropped you off for rehearsal you were happy and cheerful, and didn’t even need (want?) me to come in with you. I cannot believe how much you have matured this year; it can be a little overwhelming at times, but I feel so lucky to be your mother and that I get the chance to watch you change & grow.

Zane: This week you have been helping me get our raised beds ready for planting. On Tuesday we got a delivery of loam to fill the beds and you were SO excited because the delivery man let YOU push the button that raises the truck bed and dumps the dirt! I think you would be perfectly content to be a dirt delivery man someday (though I was told that it loses its thrill after the first couple of days). We also got a delivery of sand for your sandbox, which attracted a whole flock of neighborhood kids. You were thrilled to have so many little people to play with you and you really enjoyed showing off all of your trucks.

“A portrait of my children once a week, every week, in 2014.”

Lillia: Well, it happened. Last night you came to me and said, “Can you promise me that you don’t bring all of my Christmas presents?” Sorry, kiddo. I played along for almost 11 years, but I won’t make a promise that is a blatant lie. It all started when you were reading my blog, and for some reason you were reading all of the entries — even back to 2011! I happened to make a post way back then about finding and purchasing your play kitchen, which we told you was from “Santa.” Certainly there were times in your life when you questioned whether or not Santa was real, but we were always able to keep the fire burning without telling an outright lie. For some reason that was an important distinction for me. You were sad to learn the truth, and there were some tears, but you said you were happy to have had the experience and you want Zane to keep believing for awhile. So, now you’ve been “initiated.” Knowledge is a tricky thing: on one side of the coin there is truth and power, and on the other there is sadness and disappointment. From here on out there are going to be many things that you learn about the world and the people in it that you really wish you could unlearn. But, there is no forgetting, and that is part of the human condition.

Zane: This week you have been saying the silliest things! I love that your language skills have progressed to the point where you can converse about the less concrete matters of life because toddler + abstract concepts = hilarity.
Here’s an example:
Me: Zane, look at your legs. They are so cute! I just want to eat them up!
Zane: You can not eat them. They are made of person! They are mettached to me!