I have been horribly remiss in keeping this blog updated.  I still find it hard to believe that now I have a 9 year old and a 6 year old!  How did that happen?  How are you growing up so quickly?  How did I ever feel fulfilled before you came into my life?

Lately there have been many moments where I lose my temper with you both.  You fight - sometimes it seems like ALL.DAY.LONG.  You say hurtful things to each other and to me.  Some of it is out of pure exhaustion, some of it is part of you growing up and feeling your boundaries.  I want you to know how guilty I feel when I make you upset.  It is not what I want to do; it is not how I want you to remember your childhood.  But it happens.  And I'm sure it will happen to you when you have your own children.

For this school year we have been reading together again before you both go to sleep.  Now that Justin is staying up later than Tommy, I am able to read with Tommy from 7:00 - 7:30 and then put him to bed.  Then I read with Justin until 8 and put him to bed.  That time spent reading to/with you is some of the most special time of my day.  I get you all to myself and we get time to snuggle.  That is when I find out some of the things you are thinking about.  I hope you remember these times and know how deeply I loved it and you.

Watching you both turn into avid readers has been amazing too.  I always loved reading - and still feel as if a love of reading is the single most important thing I can pass onto you.

Justin is currently tearing through the Harry Potter series and Santa brought him the Chronicles of Narnia series to start when he finishes - 2 of my favorite series of books.  EVER.

Thomas is reading Captain Underpants - which perfectly describes what type of humor he enjoys.