Confessions of a Daughterless Mother

A couple days ago I posted the following conversation that happened in my kitchen:  "Coop’s home from school for the weekend. Walks in starts to make food just as As gets home from school. All standing in the kitchen As (14 yo) says: Momma can you hand me the butter?  Mind you - I am just passing through doing other things ... and just as far from the fridge as he is.  Coop says: What the hell? Get it yourself, she doesn’t have to do everything! " It got me thinking of all the reasons having older kids rocks. I am often wistful over their baby and toddler days, when for me, it was easier. Before the teenage years and adult worries barrelled in on us.  Here's my Top Ten Reasons Older Kids Rock 1) They have their own thoughts and ideas, and not just about what movie to watch and demanding we eat where they feel like it. I mean real thoughts, interesting ideas. They share pod casts with me I might like and talk about world events.  Admittedly, my 20, 18 and

All my life I thought I was a resolution girl.  For the past two decades -- without fail-- my resolution come Jan 1 has been to lose weight, exercise more and to create more balance.  A big kick in the ass to get my shit together. Fortunately or unfortunately, the last 2 years have been stressful for many different reasons.  Among them a complex health issue for myself -- along with stress -- has lead to a me not needing to focus more on my weight this January 1.   With the sky wide open for resolution picking ... I came up blank. I had nothing.  No clue what to resolve to do in 2018 without the stand by of "losing weight".  It comes as no surprise to realize that the 20 years I have resolved to reduce my calories and increase my exercise coincided with the first 20 years of raising my sons.  When your focus is parenting, mothering, wife-ing, partnering, working ... many parts of you take a side step. Resolutions become basic, survivalist and frankly, not very intere