Uh Oh...

I always questioned the judgment of the woman teaching the “Preparing For & Welcoming Baby Class” when we were expecting our oldest child in the fall of 1997. She said, “Baby blues, the crying, save it for later. You will know what the blues are when you have a teenager.” I sat catching flies as these words left her mouth and I thought to myself, just another hormonal, angry, middle-age woman.

Now that I find myself quickly approaching middle-aged, continuously hormonal, and quite often angry and on the brink of having my very own teenager I realize that woman knew what she was talking about and unfortunately this phase for me as a mother is just beginning.

Yesterday, our oldest son attended what we thought was his first boy/girl party. Joke was on him. He ended up being the only boy! However, he did not seem to mind the “joke”. Imagine my horror…

Beforehand, he had borrowed my toothpaste with breath strips, made a request that I buy him mouthwash, and was well groomed, two hours before the party. Uh oh… When I asked him why he was now so concerned with his “breath”, he jokingly replied, “You have to be prepared for the ladies.” I laughed, more out of a deep fear than joy…

As I enter into this new phase in motherhood I cringe and fear the unknown. As much as my heart aches and breaks I know that in the end, after this time has passed, I will want to do it all again. (Well, maybe.)