Change

There's been a gradual change in my house, gradual enough that it's really caught me unawares: some of my toddlers have become children.

In general, I still think of myself as being a young mom with a small brood clinging to her apron strings. Then-- Bam!-- something happens to help me realize that, actually, my apron strings are getting longer and longer, the older children are growing more and more independent, and I am quickly losing my excuse in motherhood of being "new" to it. (Don't worry: there are plenty more other excuses I'll come up with, I'm sure.)

This morning I had one of those moments. I was scribbling out a chore list, trying desperately to battle the clutter and dirt that is collecting while I nurse a sinus infection and what I suspect is a developing case of strep throat. It looked like this:

Gabriel:
clean downstairs bathroom
fold laundry
dust family room & mudroom

Bronwyn:
clean upstairs bathroom
fold laundry
dust dining room & my bedroom

Jackson:
collect garbage from bathrooms
sweep kitchen
dust living room & music room

Aubrey:
collect laundry from bedroom hampers
pick up puzzles (that Claire had dumped out)

And then it went on to list the things I would take care of.

I don't know... it was just one of those Reality of the Passing of Time moments. As I made these hurried notes, I couldn't help but feel like my mom. I remember those days when she would dole out assignments and... well... I wasn't a toddler then... which I guess means that my children aren't all toddlers either.

But when did this happen? How did they get big enough for responsibility? And who said they could grow up so fast???