The Difference Between 11 and 6

In the past 24 hours, I have been "treated" to the difference four and a half years make in a child's life...

Connor, who is 11 and in 6th grade, came to me night before last and said excitedly, "Mom, I know what I want for Christmas!" I half-heartedly said, "Yeah? What?" Now, Connor is a Lego fiend and every year for the past five or six years, Connor has wanted some huge, new Star Wars ship. Last year's ship I think contained over 1,500 pieces. After opening it, he sat down and did not move for at least five hours until the whole thing was done! Man, I love Legos!!! Anyway, his reply hit me like a TON of bricks... "I want Abercrombie cologne." AHH! What happened to my little boy who used to want every tractor and truck... and video games... and bikes... and baseball mitts?? He is growing up!!

For Colby, who is 6 and in 1st grade, his pet fish are his love. Both Connor and Colby have a tank each in their rooms with one fish a piece. Colby's was a $0.28 goldfish from Wal-mart that we bought in March. We have tried to put new fish in with it and for some reason they do not survive -- causing MAJOR heartache in a 6 year old! Last Monday, the boys went grocery shopping with me. They decided it was time to get more fish. Connor picked out 2 sharks and Colby got another goldfish. Within hours, Colby's goldfish died. I ran out the next day and got a new one. The lady at Wal-mart told me I probably killed it because I didn't acclimate it to the water temperature first! Thanks, lady!! So, I made sure it was adjusted to the water temperature before putting it in. Whew! Colby gets home from school and runs upstairs to see it and comes down screaming that "Whitey" (his old goldfish) was eating the new one!! Yep. That's how all the others had died evidently! So, we moved new goldfish, "Goldie", to Connor's tank. Goldie is not a tropical fish as Connor's are; but, I didn't care. Within a few more hours, one of Connor's sharks was dead! Back to Wal-mart I go to get my $6 back. A week later, the second shark is dead! Too bad! However, "Goldie" is still going strong...until two nights ago when he started getting scaly -- kind of molting and swimming into things. YUCK! Did I flush him yet or was he just growing and going through a stage?? Nope. The sobbing cries were heard throughout the house last night as Colby found yet another dead fish! I just wanted to tell him to get over it! It's just a fish! Colby was SO upset. I did what any mom would do...in our nightly prayer, I thanked God that Goldie was in a better place and not hurting anymore! I was so stunned with what I was saying that I had to open my eyes! Come on, Davedda!! But when I saw Colby's little eyes closed and his hands clasped tightly under his chin fervently thanking God too, my heart melted. Oh to be six!!

This mothering thing is such a roller coaster and sometimes I want to say, "Let me off!" But, in reality, I wouldn't have it any other way. I love my boys -- each in their own worlds.