My kids may be twins, but they are night and day. Raising boys is fun but also kind of gross.
One kid is clingy, loves gamer videos, and refuses to wear pants unless we are going somewhere. His affinity for potty humor is wearing on me. He is like me in that he does not enjoy anything competitive in nature, so board games are pretty much out. His laugh is infectious and often inappropriate.
My other child craves independence, the great outdoors, and loves to ride his scooter. He is the worst amateur magician in the world, but he makes up for it in cuteness. His comedic timing and ability to toss out a one-liner is ridiculous.
Both kids are obsessed with dogs; I have tried to get one for six months to no avail. It just has not panned out. Everything from people rehoming suddenly changing their minds to simply not being selected because makes it really hard to find hypoallergenic breeds. Unless you want to pay a breeder, which I do not. I have joked that it was easier to adopt the kids than it is to adopt a dog. Unbelievable. Anyway, they accost everyone we see walking with a dog. I have tried to get them to stop asking to pet everyone’s dogs. ESPECIALLY RIGHT NOW. Ugh.
I am always looking for things we can do together. The family walk in the evening is a great stress reliever. While no one wants to add screen time, any time I find a show or movie for the whole family to sit and watch together and they actually do so willingly, it always feels like a huge win. The kids love popcorn movie night.
They’re eight years old now. I wonder how long the kisses and cuddles will continue. I am all too aware they have entered the big kid phase. It is terrifying and wonderful. I catch glimpses of the men they are becoming. They still come in the bathroom when I am in there, and I sometimes wonder if they’ll do this until the go to college. Just when I think my heart may burst, someone farts on me and I am brought back to the reality that we have more time.