Baby Huey

My highlight for the week was watching Landon walk. I wasn't there for the exciting first steps that were dutifully recorded in the baby book. However, since breaking his ankle, we have all been instantly transported to something resembling that time. I take him his meals, I clean up after him, I make sure he's safe and that I don't leave him for too long lest he hurt himself. I am SOOOOOO relieved that he's potty trained.

To put this in the proper perspective, Dawn and I are teenager people. Through the years we've noticed that parents vary on what age they are most excited about. Of course, you love your kids during the entire life span, but there's that one age range that you hit your stride as a parent. For example, Dawn's sister-in-law is absolutely clutch in the 2-4 year range and gets bummed when the kiddos take those steps to kindergarden. She's a little-kid person. Little kid people think up fun and elaborate activities (usually art projects) on a constant basis. They have no problems watching the same movie 55 times and convey to the child a sense of concern and empathy when a 50 cent toy is broken or lost.

We know people that unbelievably adore the middle-school years (That's a different topic in itself but this always amazes me. NOBODY should like the middle-school years since the kid rarely likes the middle school years. I digress).

Dawn and I, on the other hand, are teenager people. The good news about the teenage years is that the kid is as independent as they will get while still living with you. The bad news about the teenage years is that the kid is as independent as they will get while still living with you. In short, the stakes are higher. A bad day in the teenage years can involve a trip to the police station. Don't get me wrong, nothing even on the radar suggests that for Landon. He's a great kid, but you worry about what could happen. Despite the high stakes, it's fun to interact and have discussions with Landon at a depth that wasn't even possible until a year or so ago.

We can still do that, but the broken leg thing has taken away his ability to do many things for himself. I get the feeling he's not too broken up about this. So, the "delegation" of duties (i.e. mow the lawn, clean the room, help out around the house) that I've enjoyed has been put on hold and he spends his time playing video games, going to physical therapy and going to school. My time is coming though. He's off the boot, walking with crutches and even sometimes without. He is about to be a full-fledged independent teen again. At which point I'll probably need to clean his room.......