Ah, summer. The time of year when you spend tons and tons of time with your kids and get to know them on a whole ‘nother level. Again. Even with our work schedules staying the same and the Gs heading to camp every day, we spend a lot of time together hanging out at night (read: no homework and later bedtimes!).

This summer, it’s apparent that Gavin’s started his journey towards tweenhood. He’s testing the boundaries of his personality and his behavior, and, subsequently, our patience … more so than ever before. To the point where I am consistently having flashbacks to my father’s snaps (or, as we came to know them: “shit-fits” – the should-be-patented Den Flannery parenting trump card of yelling / purple face / tiny pursed lips / potential cursing my mother would warn us not to invoke). Three things I remember from that period of my own life: my brothers and I didn’t know everything, didn’t need to have a comment for everything, and needed to get our heads out of our respective asses. It’s all becoming quite clear now. Where is that Elton John when you need him to lead an online sing-a-long of Circle of Life?

Anyway, back to Gavin’s tweenhood journey…

Thankfully, it seems Gavin’s not fully crossed the bridge…yet:  Last night, he snuggled up with me on our chair-and-a-half and encircled my neck with his arm. I smiled at him and, with the benefit of hindsight, stupidly said, “You know, at some point, it will be the last time you do this.”

But he’s definitely in the middle, if not more towards the end: He smiled back and said, “And that point is now! This was the last snuggle!” and hopped off the chair. Hahahaha! That impish little bugger.

I love how perceptive he is at reading situations and inserting jokes / humor. Well, I hope it was a joke, anyway. 😉 Here’s to the dawn of tweenhood. Cheers.