10.31.23 Birthdays and normal Days

Lia made another trip around the sun and turned 5 years old. She has started styling her curls out of her eyes. She still doesn't love her ringlets but is resigned such is her fate. She requested angel cake for her birthday. We sure love our fun loving sweet Lia. I told her her birthday was when we finished harvest. Thankfully with high moisture corn that is a reality. She partied and had presents for more than one week. She thought that was great. 

She likes pretty things and shared her new lipgloss with me. Applied with a spoon no less. 

Andrea loves to be held. My hip has not loved holding her the past few months. 

Addie working on time lapse pictures for her photography class. 

John stopped the weeks of Lia birthday celebrations by having his birthday. He is now legally an adult. He requested lemon sunshine cake. I was tired of never having chocolate so also made brownies. John continues to be a pleasant young man. He says thank you for every dinner gives great hugs and smiles, has really improved his school performance and is an aspiring mechanic able to do most jobs unattended. He cheers on my weight lifting and is thoughtful. 

This week was the end of the quarter awards assembly. Everyone but Alivia got an award. I was worried she would be in tears. I explained that in middle school the main awards were for reading or honor roll. She can work hard and gain either of those. I'm happy to report that she was not sad and is doing so much better this year. She is still stubborn and chooses not to do all her work but for the most part she is participating much better. 

At the awards assembly Reed and Millie were recognized for 3.5-3.9 honor roll. Reed has also decided to comply and complete most of the work assigned. I'm thankful for his change of heart. 

My younger 5 in school. Afton and Bruce got awards for their computer program i-ready. I don't love that program but supposedly it works. Each kid is doing well this year. The most often heard concern from teachers is that they ask questions when they don't understand. Other than that they are polite, readers, hard working, and very competitive students. 

On the home front, we had a week of sickness. This is me holding the youngest while they sleep. Oh how I hated to crawl out of this to go to the cold football game. How thankful I am for these sweet little ones.

I watched my sister parent her toddler and another a few weeks ago. I was impressed with her words. She didn't just allow situations to run her over and she wasn't ridiculously long-winded but she was kind and the situations quickly resolved. She told me later she was learning about conscious parenting. She shared some videos and thanked me for the encouragement. I started watching the videos and have been working to make changes. I really believe we are raising the genertation that will parent during the millennium. I have no idea about my particular activities then but truly believe they will be busy and working through that time period. Thus they need better skills and self-control than is currently on display in my home. This journey is just starting and we have a long way to go. 

There have been moments of success and laughter. Lots of crying and consoling, and plenty of feeling like an utter failure. Being a parent is so much about meeting the needs of others it's hard to feel like a person who matters or has any place for personal feelings. Alas such is life and this too shall pass, and hopefully be better for the journey. I'm thankful for sisters who teach and inspire betterment. Families are a great blessing in my life.