For the "Grater" Cheese

One thing about me that most people don't know is that I haven't always been the magnificent chef I am now. :) When I was little, I would watch my mother and sister cook and bake to their hearts content. I would watch on, but with little interest. I did, however, enjoy in the final product.

So, being that I was never interested in cooking, I was given the remedial duties such as peeling potatoes, washing dishes, and my least favorite, grating the cheese. To this day, I don't know what it is about grating cheese that, well, grates on me. Maybe it was the sore hand and arm muscles inflicted in grating enough cheese for a family of 7 (3 of which were teenage boys) or maybe because grating cheese made me feel like a second class citizen in the kitchen. But for whatever reason, the fact remains: I hate grating cheese!

Well, the other day I was making my favorite comfort meal, tuna casserole. It's my mother's recipe and when I'm missing home, I need to make it. So there I am, getting everything ready and the baby starts to cry. I'm running out of time so I look over at my 8 year old and say, "Will you please grate the cheese for dinner?" He looks at me and answers with an enthusiastic, 'Yes!" He gladly grates all the cheese, I thank him, and he walks away happy as a clam. And then it dawns on me: I never have to grate cheese again! Now I have children old enough who can do the dreaded job for me and now it's my turn to create in them their own grating issues.

Stage 2

Over the last few months, I've been feeling something. I'm sure it has to do with knowing that Kennedy is our last mingled with the fact that my kids are growing up faster than I ever thought possible. I feel like I'm putting a chapter of my life behind me and moving on to the next stage.

Last month we hit some major milestones that added to this feeling. Our Lincoln had his baptism. I remember when we had him, thinking forward to that day and thinking just how far away it seemed (I also remember thinking that when he turned 8, I would be 30 and that was NEVER gonna happen). However, time inevitably passes, and witnessing my son, so excited to be baptized and become a member of the church was something I can't put into words. I'm so proud of him!

The following day, we then blessed our little miracle. After three boys, it was pretty awesome to dress her up in a beautiful, frilly, white dress! Being the last one, I feel like she is in everyway, the cherry on top of our family. Already she has blessed our lives so much and I get teary eyed just looking at her smile back at me (yes, I'm a big ol' baby, I know).

So, now I feel like we're hitting stage 2 in this parenting journey. Instead of waddling around with a big, preggo belly, I'm going to be driving the boys to scout activites and sports events. In the next few years, we can start planning vacations that won't revolve around either being pregnant or having an infant to worry about. This makes me both very sad and really excited. I want to enjoy every moment of my baby girl, and already it's going by too stinkin' fast, but with the bitterness of saying goodbye to those infant days, comes the thrill of all the adventures that lie ahead.