It’s February and with Fourth child’s Birthday tomorrow, Finally there are FOUR Teenagers within the Family! Fleeting Years…

I am dedicating this post to my 4 DEAREST, WONDERFUL, TEENAGE CHILDREN WITH ALL THE LOVE MY HEART CAN HOLD!!!! I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE, LOVE YOU ALL !!!!

Yes!!!! It’s almost official. As of tomorrow, February 7th, I am the Mother of Four Teenagers. For this post and coinciding picture, I first thought of frizzing out my hair and pulling it to illustrate my situation and to say nothing else. However, in thinking about it further, I realized that I’m really immensely enjoying this particular phase of parenting. So, with permission from ALL Four, I am posting a few old and current pictures highlighting all FOUR of THEM, instead!

I’ve asked myself which was more challenging; 3 kids in diapers or 3/4 teenagers? Well, believe it or not-I think it was “The Diaper Years”. Case in point, I think I was so frazzled that I cannot remember much of it. Do any of you reading this remember The Diaper Genies? I remember thinking it was pretty slick with the first one. (Though I can still almost remember the smell of the scented plastic “thingy” and the combination of the two smells when finally disposing of it and it was distinctively gross!). By the time there were two kids in diapers, the diaper genie seemed cumbersome and useless. By the time there were three kids in diapers-we set up a “Poopy Station” and changed them in assembly line fashion often. (Oy ee vay- I was busy). An entire section of the laundry room with a cupboard containing all the diapers, wipes, powder, ointments etc. I got some terrific potty training advice from my BFF whose youngest is a year older than my oldest. I’ll never forget her phenomenal advice: “If you wait until THEY are ready, it’ll take you a weekend to train them or you can try beforehand and mess around with it for months”. As a Momma of three at that time, I elected to wait until HE was ready. Needless to say, he took his time to get ready and sure enough he was trained in a weekend! (We may have gotten away with only having two in diapers if he was ready sooner). Come to think of it, this advice translates to a lot of areas in life!!!

Six years ago today, the soon to be teenager came home on the eve of her 7th and GOLDEN BIRTHDAY after having been in cancer treatment at St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital for a cumulative total of almost 8 months (with the exception of a short 28 day break back home between radiation and chemotherapy). I drank two bloody mary’s on the plane ride home and SOBBED about a lot the entire flight home. I believe, it’s a miracle that 6 years later, she is now celebrating her 13th Birthday and still CANCER FREE!!! BRING ON 7 more years. There are too many people to adequately thank who were part of that miracle and to God who must believe that she has a lot more “work” to do on earth!!! I digress, but just wanted to acknowledge that this TEEN anniversary has other meaning for me as well.

I’m genuinely LOVING this TEENAGER phase despite there being myriad “issues”. Humorously, one of my friends (whose children are older of course) said: “If you can get through the 8th grade girl phase, the rest is much easier!” I’m happy to say I only have one more girl to get through the 8th grade and I will cherish every moment of her teenage journey. I only get the privilege and bragging rights to say I have 4 teenagers for the next 8 months (and already one has semi flown the coup so to speak) so I will try to make the most of this special time! The years are definitely FLEETING!!!

HERE ARE JUST A FEW PAST AND PRESENT PICS OF MY FOUR FAVORITE TEENAGERS:

THREE IN CAR SEATS!

On 9/11 2002. I dressed them in Red, White and Blue to try to be patriotic on that 1st anniversary of 9/11! (Note Yugio or Pokemon card in Carter’s hand. And Crosbie chose to place EVERY hair clip in her hair-maybe she couldn’t decide which she liked the best? GOD LOVE THEM!!!)