It's Only a Phase...

Phases. Why do all kids go through them? To make us crazy? I've got two kids, with totally opposite personalities, going through two totally different kinds of phases as we speak. And, the real kicker is the phase that Halle is currently in, Brendan never went through - go figure. Halle is in a very clingy, very whiny phase which I think (HOPE!) is being caused by her teeth; she's currently sprouting 5 or 6 new ones, and they all came in within the last week or two. Brendan, on the other hand, is entering a defiant/sassy phase, another surprise for me since he's been completely obediant up until now. So, I end up with one kid that's crying because I turned my back and she could no longer see my face, and one kid that turns his back on me and calmly does exactly as I just instructed him not to.

There are little glimpses, here and there, of my old children, though. Like last night, while Brendan was taking a bath, and out of the blue he turned to me and said, "Mama, I'm sorry for talking back to you yesterday." Or on the way to town this morning when Halle was dancing up a storm in the back seat, just enjoying the music.

Phases, I suppose, occur so that when the little monsters go back to normal, you appreciate your angels that much more.