Jubilee's 12th Birthday

 Birthday reflections...

These preteen/teen birthdays (and years) are so very different than the ones for the first 5 years or so.  I think in some ways, they are so much less dramatic...so much change from helpless newborns who turn into toddlers who turn into these learners and thinkers and step into independence.  Maybe the 5 years leading up to those teens are more subtle somehow because they need parents in such different ways.  They go from independence to more independence, to the physical needs and comfort to the character training and emotional needs.   From a 2 year old sitting on your lap to open gifts and eating their birthday treat in their highchair to a day of shopping in place of presents and running off to play with cousins during the family birthday party and only seen during dinner and gift opening.

I admit that I have really struggled to find my stride in these latter years.  I was physically exhausted by the years of morning sickness, newborns, post partum, diaper changes but I was comfortable in the structure and organization of staying home most of the time and adhering to a rather strict schedule of nursing/eating, diaper changes, play time, napping, bedtime, etc...  It was very "controlled" and I like control.  Plus, it was "new" and I was younger (I look at these pictures and I wonder...have we really aged this much?).  I had more stamina, and more confidence.  I haven't figured out how to navigate this different season, where I have no babies or toddlers needs to care for, and instead very different people with very different needs and very different dynamics.  No more whole group parenting, everything is individualized and homeschooling adds another dimension of difficulty.  I want to find my place in all this.  Moving, taking on farm responsibilities, and Phil changing jobs which meant big changes for me at home has set things topsy turvy.  I NEED this next year to be a time of refocus and getting to know my children and their needs better and find that structure and organization again.  

Friday, we went to the Iris gardens and then to see the movie Solo in the theatre.  Saturday, I took Jubilee out to breakfast and then a day of shopping.  She picked out her own clothes (none of which were the ones I like and thought were cute LOL).  Sunday, her actual birthday, we went to church, to Dutch Brothers for her free birthday drink, got take out for lunch, and hit a few garage sales before the family get together at my parents.  I think she was disappointed about her actual birthday day and that we didn't have a big party with friends. 

Baby bump Jubilee

Our little family of 3 about to be a family of 4.

She is here!

Grammy put on a delicious spread.  The adults ate around the table outside and the children ate picnic style elsewhere.




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