If you’re a parent, is it not shocking how quickly kids grow? I’ve noticed so much lately how tall and mature my boys are getting. One minute their pants fit and the next, I’m worried someone at school will make fun of their “high waters.”
Being a single mom comes with many challenges, but the hardest are the emotional ones. I’ll admit it’s hard for me when they are with their dad. As a very involved, intuitive mom, it feels like a limb is missing . But if I focus too heavily on that, life can feel pretty dark. Instead, I try to soak up every minute I have with them.
Something we’ve always loved doing is frolicking in downtown Asheville. By that I mean we go to Asheville with very minimal plans and just see where the day takes us. Since they were babies, we’ve enjoyed this. This past Saturday they had haircut appointments at a salon in downtown Asheville. It’s a place I used to frequent in young adulthood. They have amazing stylists and a fun, eclectic vibe. While one child was getting his hair cut, the other boy and I talked and laughed in the waiting area, editing photos, looking at magazines and reading.
The boys got a little money for Valentine’s Day so they wanted to spend it a toy store. We’re fortunate to have a really cute, independent toy store in downtown Asheville called Curio. One of the sales associates was a young girl with a talent to feel the outside of LEGO mini-figure bags and know which figure was inside. One might say this ruins the fun of a blind bag, but I don’t see it that way. I get tired of spending money on blind bag toys to come home and have three of the same thing. You know what I mean? We had a blast watching her feel the bags and figure out which figure it was and we walked out with mini-figures the boys didn’t already have.
Afterward we went to Malaprop’s, which is not only a book store but also a cornerstone establishment in downtown Asheville. As a beacon in the indie book store world, people come from near and far to peruse the shelves. When we walked in, my youngest son noticed my book on the shelf, which was so neat. I’d stopped by several months ago to sign the copies they had then. On Saturday I signed the new copies. The boys really liked being part of that experience.
These “Mommy & Me” posts are fun for me to write. I’m grateful for my boys and the joy they bring to my life. They are so sweet and have shown resilience like I’ve never known. While I miss them like crazy when they are not with me, my time with them seems so precious. I take none of it for granted.
It’s Monday, friends and the dawn of a new week. Let’s make it a good one.