The invisible mom...

I've always dreaded entering into this phase.  For moms, somewhere between having cute-as-a-button babies and too-cool-for-school teenagers there is a place I like to call the invisible mom stage.  When you no longer get stopped by strangers who tell you how cute your little bundle o' joy is you've entered it.  It encompasses things like permanent teeth, the birds and the bees, learning to play the recorder, "Clarissa Explains it All" fashion choices, and ears and teeth growing faster than the rest of your child's body.  And as a mom, you disappear behind the scenes, lost in tooth-fairies, testosterone surges and after school activities.

Except...

I love it.

I love that Naomi lost her four front teeth all at once.  I hope I never forget that toothless smile.
I love Tal's ears, and big teeth and freckles.
I love to hear my kids plunking away on the piano...watching their brains grow is fascinating.
I love to see what outfits my kids put together.  Some days, I even let them wear them.
I love watching Tal ride his bike with Calvin to school.  Even though I'm there and he's much faster and it's not very cool (except, that it's actually very, very cool)
I love when Calvin stops me in my tracks with a sincere, thoughtful deed.  Like the calm in the eye of a storm.

I even love the hard moments.

The ones when you have to send your babies off into the world and you want to cry because you know that what's facing them isn't easy. Or, when your son prays for a best friend so he'll have someone who always wants to play with him.  And you pray too.  Or, when you mediate yet another (and another) girl fight because they are "Best Friends Forever." Or, you stay up late quizzing your daughter on the difference between rural, urban, and suburban because you just realized she needs the help.

These moments, I wouldn't trade. I loved the baby stage.  I'm sure the teenager stage will be fun.  But this stage I love.