Cool Kids

Time seems to have flown by since I had Matthew. I get through the days and make sure that the kids' needs are met, make sure they are happy and fed, and go to sleep. (Occasionally I pay attention to Damien, too!) I have watched them grow and change on a daily basis, but what is blowing my mind are the big changes in their personality and how they view the world around them.

Today, Michael came downstairs and asked for a comb. I told him there was one in the bathroom and I heard him go in there and shut the door. He was in there for a while, came out and turned off the light. At the time, I was feeding Matthew so I didn't look at him when he came out. Then Michael said, "How do I look?" Then there was a pause. "Do I look cool?" I looked up and saw Michael in all his splendor. He had a smug look on his face and was eagerly awaiting my response. "Wow, Michael. You look so cool!" I said. I bit my cheeks as not to laugh but I couldn't quite get over the whole outfit! He had wet his hair and combed it all forward. He was wearing two shirts, one longer than the other and to top it off- he had on a suede frayed cowboy vest. A white wrist band adorned his right wrist and he had on athletic shorts and sandals. In his mind, he looked cool and he had the confidence to prove it.

I wondered what went through his head as he got his outfit together. Was he thinking, 'You know what would make this outfit pop? A vest. But not any vest. It must be suede and scream- cool.' What was his thought process as he gathered up everything and why all the sudden was he searching for an outfit to make him seem cool? None of this really mattered at this point. I had to address him in this very moment- vest and all. I had to echo and affirm his coolness and make him feel good. He obviously had a vision and he felt he had pulled it off. What was even funnier, ehhem- I mean cooler, than the outfit is that he wanted me to take pictures of him doing what he called, 'cool poses'. Then he wanted me to shoot a video (which I won't post as not to totally blow his cover). I went with all of this, never bursting into the hysterical laughter which kept trying to come out.

Claire caught on to the whole photo shoot thing and asked if she could go upstairs and put on her coolest outfit. 'Of course' I told her. She came downstairs, confident in her choices and joined the photo opp. She had on her pink checkered Vans (courtesy of Natalie), her jeans with embroidered flowers on them, her olive green shirt complete with sequins and lace, and a clip snapped onto the front of her hair. It was so interesting to see their choices, both very cool- yet very different.

I went along with all of this and relished the moment where they didn't rely on me to make them feel cool and confident. They are getting older and are able to express themselves independent of me. They can dress themselves, do their own hair, and pick out clothes that express their likes and moods. I think I would've been a little bit sad knowing that they don't need me as much anymore if it weren't for Matthew who was in my arms through all of this. Earlier in the morning I had dressed him, put his diaper on, and if it weren't for me- he'd be a mess. So, while I will continue to embrace Michael and Claire's cool independence, I will enjoy the fact that Matthew is still completely dependent on me to exist! However, I don't know what I will do the day that Matthew walks downstairs in a suede vest! Remind me when Michael gets a little older to give it to Goodwill!