Sometimes I just have to sit back and take stock of where my kids are. I get so busy that I can’t seem to really take it all in. So here’s my summary of the Grubb Worms:

Jonah…is walking! Just last week I could say he’s starting to walk but I have to admit, since he can make it down our hallway without falling that he’s officially walking. (sniff, sniff) He is my last baby you know. So I won’t be rushing him along. He is sleeping more, most nights, but not last night. Last night, he woke up 4 times. Oh well, good thing I don’t have to heat bottles. He’s also starting to clap his hands and has the cutest laugh. He will make his way to wherever the big kids are just to see what they are playing and squeals with delight when they pay attention to him. His personality seems to be pretty calm and laid back. I will enjoy the next 8 or so months of that until true toddler hood kicks in.

Parker…is potty-trained! Well, he’s doing well during the day. We haven’t started night-training yet. His daytime stats are probably 85% of the time with no accidents. I’ll take it. He still has the most hilarious sense of humor and timing. Not sure how a 3 year old is better at comedic timing than me but he just is. He’s also absolutely adorable with big blue eyes and blond hair and a sweet smile. God’s all about balance, I have learned, because otherwise the screaming and crying that Parker is doing right now anytime anyone disagrees with something he says or does could very well push me over the edge. Instead of parent training classes to deal with 2 to 4 year olds, they should just let us join in on the “dealing with terrorists” training classes. There’s not much difference. Parker is starting to ride a scooter and peddle his trike like a wild man. He’s pretty coordinated but still ends up bloody most days.

Theodore…is learning! Here’s the thing. I love Theodore with all my heart. I don’t want him to misunderstand the things I’ve written down here if he ever does read them. (Although, I could just be making it easier for his future therapist.) I am human so I am struggling right now with how to get through to Theodore. He is so bright, kind, funny, athletic, smart and sensitive. He brings so much to our family. But (you knew there was one) he doesn’t handle disappointment or change well. I don’t feel like he is “just a brat” or “dramatic”. From what I see, and since I’m with him 24/7 I see a lot, I see that he gets blind-sided. Think about it like this, you are driving down a nice quiet street, big trees line the sidewalks, soft music plays on your radio…then you go through a small intersection and a mac truck doing 95 miles an hour plows into your side of the car. Blind-sided. When your car stops spinning and you try and open your eyes you have this “what the ???” feeling. I see it happening with Theodore. He’s ok and then, boom, he’s not. He really has to go through a period of the actual impact, then the spinning, then it all slowing down and coming to a stop before he’s able to see and make sense of the world again. Unfortunately, this looks (and sounds) a little ugly. I’m starting to realize though that I have about as much control in these times as I would if I had been standing on the corner watching you get smashed by a mac truck. I can pray, I can run to your side, I can try to talk to you through the wreckage, I can hold your hand as it all calms down and let you know that you aren’t alone. That even though you were blind-sided, it’s going to be OK. Since this is how he responds to disappointment or change he tends to be anxious not to go through that again. You try driving back down that street without looking both ways a few extra times. No doubt you would probably try to avoid the street and intersection as much as possible. This anxiety to be prepared or avoid being blind-sided can be annoying and frustrating to me, but also to others who don’t understand his motivation behind asking the same thing 462 times. So like I said, Theodore is learning. And so am I.

Katie…is growing! At almost 7 years old, I can see her changing. She tries to be very mature and helpful. She tries to be calm and patient and understanding with her 4 brothers. She seems to enjoy nurturing them and helping me but she’s also just a little girl. She gets her feeling hurt easily (like Mommy) and aches for Daddy’s attention and time. She’s the one who will most likely cry if Daddy can’t be home at night with us. She is starting to talk about wanting to get her ears pierced and buy an American Girl doll. She is starting to read and struggles in that area more than her other subjects. She really fills my life with sweetness and smiles. She’s a beautiful little girl (inside and out) and I pray all the time that I can help keep her that way! She has just started gymnastics and seems to really be having a great time.

Foster…is changing! I can really see him starting to pull away from being a little boy to being an older boy. He has the same needs for attention and time, even for affection, but he is wanting more privacy and alone time. He is so smart, but like me has little patience for busy work. He can sit for literally hours and design and build with Legos. He would also sit for hours of screen time if I let him. He can’t learn new skills fast enough to suit him. From learning to shoot a bow and arrow, to helping us build the bunk beds, to trying new tricks on his bike, he is busy! He’s starting to try and be involved in a more mature dialogue by making “jokes”. So there is training going on right now to help him understand what is funny and what is being a smart-alek. For the most part, he’s very helpful, thoughtful and obedient. He struggles with laziness and selfishness just like the rest of us. He’s starting to be very social and would have time with friends every day if he could.

Whew…I feel better getting all that off my chest. Thanks for listening.