Monday, December 14, 2015

On the Edge

Twelve years old...

On the edge of the teenage years.

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Sixth grade...

On the edge of middle school.

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I know how tough middle school can be.  Kids are trying to find their place in this world and are scrutinized by their peers and girls start to not have cooties and there is oh, so much drama.  Somehow, Owen is managing to cruise on through all of that.  When his nose isn't stuck in a book, which occupies a large amount of his time (he's read the complete Harry Potter series twice since June), he has found some extra-curricular activities to enjoy.


Junior Golf

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Summer Swim Team

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And, of course, fishing.

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And while he's found those "big kid" activities to keep him busy, he still finds time to do those things that some might refer to as " little kid" things.


Water fights at the lake...

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Playing in the pool, all day long...

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Swinging...


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Dressing up for Halloween...

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Playing in the snow...

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I'm not sure I'd refer to Owen as a shy kid, but he does keep to himself, mostly.  If he has an opinion, he will definitely voice it, and if you invade his personal space, he'll tackle you.  (Just ask Grey.) Owen can be deep in the throes of Minecraft, yet if I ask him to get wood for the fire, or run upstairs for something, or flip the pancakes I poured on the griddle but forgot to flip, he's off and running in a flash. Though he's teetering on the edges of little kid world and big kid world, he has kept his love of family.  Owen would rather spend time with his cousins and siblings than anyone else.

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As the oldest child, Owen has a lot of weight on his shoulders. I think he's starting to realize that the younger kids look to him on how to act. He is kind and funny and caring, and Nash, in particular, is very fond of him.

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One of my favorite things about Owen is his sense of humor. It's dry and understated and sometimes even sneaky. He says some hilarious things that you can tell he's put a lot of thought into, but they just flow out effortlessly.

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While I cannot imagine my little boy being a teenager, it's coming. I get one year of Owen being twelve and then he'll be on his way. There will be girls and cars and curfews and college applications.    Right now, though, I'm holding onto my thoughtful, quiet, kind, funny boy. Growing up, I was always envious of my friends who had big brothers. They had a built-in protector, someone who would always be in their corner, and someone to show them the way. I feel very blessed that my kids get to grow up with Owen watching over them.

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I am excited for Owen's future-to see what he will become and how he will guide his siblings.  His enjoyment of the outdoors is rare in kids these days, but that's where he most enjoys being.  He loves exploring, and visiting new places, and learning new things, and getting dirty, and think those qualities are going to shape him into a wonderful young man.

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Happy birthday, O. Mama loves you.













Thursday, December 3, 2015

Christmas Wishes

Every year, beginning in mid-November, my kids starting writing Christmas wish lists.  They'll write one for me, one for Nana, one for Nene, and then usually a few more for me.  By the time people actually start shopping for gifts, the kids have so many random things on their lists that no one has any idea what to buy them.  This year, I had the kids each make me a private list of the three things they want most for Christmas.  The only rule was that the items needed to be within my budget.  (Sadly, this restricted Greyson from requesting a four-wheeler, a snowmobile and a trailer to haul them.)

No one asked if they could write more than three things, and I think the items they chose perfectly describe each of them-the older ones teetering between toys and more grown up things, and the younger ones choosing classic age-appropriate gifts.  What follows are their lists, just as they wrote them:


Owen

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Lazer tag
Gamer mouse
Big remote control truck (going to be using outside) with batteries


Emerson

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Giant Mickey Mouse
Sims 4 (DVD game for computer) (found at Walmart)
EOS balls/balms


Alayna

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I want a Baby Alive doll.
I want a puppy cage.
I want a puppy.



And then Alayna said, "Mom, I'll make Nash's list-I know just what he wants."



Nash, via Alayna

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Truck
Cars
A toy Spiderman


You might be wondering why I skipped Greyson in the order and saved him for last. Then again, you might have realized that his list would be the best and I'd have to save it for last.


Greyson

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iPad mini
Big pack of bottled water
Ten bucks



This is my life.  Welcome, y'all.





All photos taken by Allison Davis