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

Lillia: Last night when we drove by the elementary school (for grades 5-8) you told me, “I can’t wait to go to the big school…but, I’m also a little scared.” I feel like this perfectly summarizes where you are in your life right now. I so clearly remember the feeling of wanting to grow up, and yet not feeling confident that I’d be very good at it. Most of the time, I still feel like I’m faking it!

Zane: Well, this week has been challenging. You’ve developed a not-so-awesome habit of throwing things and hitting when you’re mad — 100% developmentally appropriate, but still incredibly frustrating. Having already raised one toddler, I know that this is just a phase and pretty soon you’ll probably (hopefully?) stop. Still, I think I’m going to put all breakables under lock and key and perhaps invest in full body armor for the time being!

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

Lillia: This week you are really starting to understand your math work. It was so awesome to watch you tackle that long division paper without a single moan, groan, or tear. You’re the kind of person who really thrives on success, and conquering something difficult often creates a positive feedback loop for you and gives you the boost you need to take on more challenges.

Zane: There are no major injuries to report this week (thankfully), but you’ve been having a heckuva time falling asleep at night. I’m still working on finding the right combo of naps & sleep that will work for us. On a less challenging note, you really enjoyed that ONE warm day we had (curse you, weather!). You got to splash in all the puddles and watch the water pouring down the storm drain. I have fond memories of doing the same thing when I was little — I hope that remembering these small pleasures will bring you happiness, too.