January's Happenings

Breezy turned 18 this month. She is our youngest of the nine. I've had a lot of people come up to me and ask me how I feel about my youngest child becoming an adult. Well, she is still in high school, thinking of college, isn't licensed to drive a car yet, no first job....I guess in my eyes, she is becoming an adult. I think what is going to freak me out, is when the last two leave the nest. We still have Steph and Breezy at home, and our Marine son pops in to visit once in a while.

I remember being excited when Breezy was out of diapers. I was excited to have just ONE preschooler at home. I had big, exciting plans for the Breeze and me. The problem was, she wasn't excited to be home alone with me. She wanted to go to college with Megan. I didn't realize exactly how bored she was with me until I was eavesdropping while one of her older sisters was doing her hair. They asked her how it was to be home with mom all day. She informed them she didn't know how much more she could take--all I wanted to do was feed the damn ducks. Yes, the 3- year old cussed....Where she came up with that, I have no clue. I do know we used to drop Megan off at Phoenix College and go over to Encanto Park and feed ducks and geese while we waited for Megan to finish a class or two. One time, Breezy was up on the metal park bench with her bag of popcorn, and these two white geese were quietly standing behind her, waiting for some popcorn. I thought she saw them. Obviously not, as she spied one out of the corner of her eye, jumped a bit, and turned around and scolded the geese, "Knock it off. Never do that again. You scared me to death." She looked at me and asked me exactly how many ducks I wanted to feed, as she'd had it.

Breezy started preschool the same year Megan started college. We would drop Breezy off at preschool, then I drove Megan to college, went back and got Breezy and we drove back downtown to get Megan. One time, Breezy yelled, "Stop the car!" I was in the traffic, and I had no clue what the problem was. When I had time to look back and see what the problem was, she calmly informed me that she had a wedgie. I scolded her, and told her that was no reason to yell at me to stop the car. She looked out of the window, and said, "Well, it was a bad one, ok."

That same year, I wanted to help one day a week in Stephanie's kindergarten class. I asked the neighbor down the street, who also had a little 3 year old if she would watch Breezy for me. I took Breezy down there, and she just screamed bloody murder. She was still crying when I picked her up. Later she told her sisters that I had left her with strangers, and she frowned at me and stared at me with those big blue eyes she has. She had never had to have a babysitter--there was always an older sister/Mike to leave her with. She cried every time I left her.

When she was in about the 4th grade, she had a special project to do each quarter. She did little pictures and her own artwork, etc. When I met with the teacher, she informed me that Breezy's special projects were not up to her standard. She proudly looked around the room and complete universe models, rocks and gems of AZ that were hand lettered by a 4th grade calligraphy expert, etc. I went home and told the family we had to help Breezy--her projects were substandard. We had Danielle and Stephanie doing the artwork, and W and Deidre helping her with research, etc. We joined the ranks of a family doing the child's work for her and told the teacher so. I was invited to an honor's breakfast, and was waiting for Breezy to get her special award. She got it for most improved student. W and the kids were wondering where their special awards as assistants were!

Well, I left out the part about Breezy and doctor's or well baby check ups. She got an ear infection when she was about 2 weeks old. My pediatrician had a medical student helping her that day. Breezy was screaming away. The young woman looked at me and asked in a VERY annoyed voice, "Can't you quiet that baby? It says here, YOU think she has an ear infection. She is too young to have an ear infection. EXACTLY WHY do YOU think she has an ear infection?Ahh, the fact I have 8 OTHER CHILDREN ALL WITH A HISTORY OF EAR INFECTIONS, and the fact she has screamed all night!!!! Let's just say every visit after that, the minute we pulled into a CIGNA parking lot, Breezy started to scream. Again, when she was a little older, I told her she had a doctor's appt, and PLEASE don't do any screaming. She informed me that she couldn't help it. The minute she saw that CIGNA sign she had to scream. One time in the waiting room, she was wailing away. I told her to look around at the other children. None of them were crying. She said, "Well, if they were smart, they'd be crying, as they were all getting shots," and she shuddered and wailed harder.

Well, Breezy was a preschool drop out. She cried and cried and only wanted to go to college with Megan. The teachers told her she needed to learn the other children's names and how to get along with them. One of the teachers told me that Breezy went around asking the kids their names and complimenting them on their behavior, coloring, etc., then tugged on the teacher's shirt. She recited each child's name, and something she liked about them. She then said, "Call my mother and tell her I have met the requirements. I know all of these kids' names, I can get along with them just fine, and now I WANT TO GO TO COLLEGE WITH MEGAN!!!" She never let up about it, either. The next year, Kristi had Matt. Breezy had always wanted a baby brother or sister, and she was just totally in love with Matt. I can say, I let her drop out of preschool and help Kristi with Matt.

So back to my feelings about Breezy being an adult. She has always had a fairly easy going (discounting the early Breezy years), happy personality. She gets along well with any of her siblings and is a friend to all. She is a typical 'baby' of a large family. W and I haven't been stressing over her achievements, and worrying about whether or not she will be a success. She has a broad base of support and love. Whatever career path she chooses, she will do well. What a blessing she has been in my life, and anyone she comes in contact with.

A new baby. This is little Brooklyn Grace Doeling, Luke and Megan's newest little baby. She arrived Thursday evening at 8:29 pm. She weighed 6 pounds 6 ounces and was only 18 1/4 inches long. Oh, she looks so adorable! She shares a birthday with her cousin, Matt. She was his present on his 13th birthday. They are the only two of our kids or grandkids who share a birthday.
This is Matt in his new birthday shades Steph bought him. He is our first teenage grandchild. How do I feel about that? It seems right. He is growing into a wonderful, bright, funny, intelligent, caring young man.

January has been very good to our family.