Questions about The Kids

Again with another exciting episode of Ask The Reader! 

Emily asks:  If you knew you'd never see your kids again, what advice would you give them for when they become parents?  Teach their boys to pee sitting down AND aiming down.  ;) To not sweat the small stuff - and most of it - including said peeing mystery - is indeed SMALL stuff.  To talk to their own kids, to laugh with their kids and to always, ALWAYS make time for themselves.

Jodie wants to know:  Which addition to your family was hardest to adjust to? Going from 1 to 2 kids was hard for me but not terrible. I am still trying to adjust to #3, who is 20 months. We are considering a fourth, but I don't want to lose what little mind I have left! Each one was tough in it's own way.  #2 child was allergic to milk, and I was nursing her and ingesting TONS of it, so she literally cried around the clock for six solid months. When I figured it out, she was a different kid.  When #3 was born, the pediatrician told me that my husband and I were moving from man to man defense to zone defense.  That was pretty true.  #4 blended in beautifully, but I wonder if that had more to do with is personality.  He was a very happy, sunny baby who rarely cried and was content for hours on end. #5 and #6 just joined the crowd. SO, overall, to sum up - ha!  I get long winded, don't I? - I'm gonna say either 2 or 3. It's a toss up. :)

What about all of you guys?

Jo-less inquires:  Hey, how's it going? I'm curious as to where you see each of your kids in five years time? (If you can blog about that without it causing issues :-) )  Let's start with the youngest.  She'll be 11, and I see already that she's not a joiner.  She likes to be home and with me and so I'd have to say that she'll not be involved in any group sports or classes but maybe doing something solitary. She'll be in the 4th grade.  

Emma will be in 5th grade and undoubtedly be the class president and, probably, a Black Belt in martial arts.  She will have been sent to the principal's office for telling the teacher that her way is the RIGHT way and the teacher just needs to get with the program, already. 

Gabriel will be 14 and in the throes of adolescence.  I think he'll be a black belt as well.  He's a pretty happy kid right now - I hope it continues.  He'll be in high school and right now we are going through the whole "Pick a high school" thing for Allegra, so I don't know if he'll fit in at any of the high schools I've looked at - so that's going to be something new for me, trying to find a place for someone.  Does that make sense?

Mackenzie will be 16 and full of energy and vim and vigor and, quite probably, the Junior class president.  She'll be a soccer star and will most likely be sneaking out of the house on a daily basis - and attending the IB school.

Allegra will be 19 in five years and I'm wondering if she's got a calling - she keeps bringing it up, especially after her retreat weekend at Steubenville.  That's not the first time I've heard this - I've been told so by several people, including two nuns.  So, there's that to consider.  If not, she'll be in college and, quite probably, dating a dozen guys at once. 

Nikolas will be 22 and hopefully in college, although it'll have to be something he pays for himself.  I have zero idea of anything else - he's a pretty tough case to predict.

Comments

[Headless Mom]

Great question from Jo-less!

[Angela]

I think it is so cool that Allegra is thinking about becoming a nun. Reading that one paragraph in your post this morning brought back a flood of memories for me from my high school years. I went to a Catholic high school but my teachers, classmates, and parents were slightly freaked out by my calling. I did eventually find a wonderful group of Sisters that took me under their wing and made me proud of my calling to serve. Eventually I determined that it wasn't the right time for me, but they remain the most amazing group of women I have ever met. I hope Allegra finds a supportive community as well. I will be praying for her!

[kyoot]

Hey maybe in 5yrs you'll be a Grandma? :)

[Young Wife]

How interesting to think about where your kids will be in five years! People always ask where do you see yourself, but where do you see your kids is much more challenging! I love the advice to your kids.

[Sylvia]

I totally agree that going from kid 2 to kid three is the hardest. Whe number two was born, number one thought it was great. When number three was born they asked me to take him back to the animal shelter, or the doctor, or bascially anywhere that wasn't at "our house". When I bathe the baby my 3 year old tells me to get the baby out of "his bathroom". I'm soooooooo tired...even with the baby mostly sleeping through the night I just never get enough rest. I never pee alone, shower alone, or eat hot food anymore.

[Sarah in Ottawa]

Ooo...Steubenville! I LOVED the big summer weekend retreats; I went three times during high school. I never felt that I was being called to be a nun(I...gulp...prayed that I WOULDN'T be called), but I had an amazing time. I hope that your other kids will have a chance to go, too!

[Jodie]

It's nice to hear that baby #3 could be the hardest. My older two love, love, LOVE their baby sister, but it has been a struggle for me. She was a very fussy baby. Not colicky, just fussy. Now that she is able to communicate better, things are getting a bit easier. But she is such a curious little bugger, she is into everything. She is the one who writes on the walls, unrolls a whole roll of toilet paper into the toilet then proceeds to clean the toilet, carries a gallon of milk around the house until someone gets her a drink, unloads my wallet and puts the credit cards down the heat vent, the list could go on and on (this is just in the last week!) I don't know if I could take another like her, but then again, maybe it would just be that much easier!

[BeeBelle]

Don't you think zero to one was the hardest? Two and three couldn't hold a candle to THAT adjustment, for me. Maybe just because I was young-ish (22)? But that used to be old-ish for first babies, so who knows.

[xenia kathryn]

Hey Carmen,
Great post! I have a question for you that I've always wondered:
Who are your children's patron saints (or what are their baptized/Christian names)?
Thanks!

[Bethany]

Haha, Steub! As soon as I saw that, I just had to comment even though you wrote that forever ago. I went there., my sis goes there, family members work there, I worked there for years- fond memories! The youth conferences are really moving for a lot of teens, so that's great Allegra might be called to be a nun/religious. I could never do that but have a sister who totally could. If she or any of your other kids ever needs info/help getting in for college, let me know! :)