I'll have the kiddie burger with cheese, please. No applesauce, must have fries with that.

My children are growing up right before my eyes. There are three things getting bigger as they grow up - their mouths, their attitudes and their appetites. Now, I am the one ordering off the kids meal while the boys order off the grown up menu leaving our debit card near negative. We could go on vacation for the cost that we endure at Texas Roadhouse. They want to snack all the time and don't you love those four words "there's nothing to eat"? It makes me see red, like my debit card. The boys eat a lot and they eat often. Ashlyn, on the other hand, is a junk food junkie. I have no idea where she gets that from. (Couldn't be from her daddy, who is currently doing the P90X workout. Her mama, on the other hand, is a self-diagnosed closet-eater. I admit that I have a problem. But, swiss cake rolls and cokes seem to take away the stress of a lot bigger problems while creating bigger pant sizes.) While cleaning Ashlyn's room, I found a brownie hidden behind a picture frame. She is oh-so-sneaky. She doesn't have a big appetite, she just likes to graze at all hours.

Trey, who was sensitive, kind, loving, soft spoken has suddenly transformed into an argumentative, hateful, loud little boy. Where did my angel go? There cannot be four of us with the same temperament living in this house -i t's not big enough for the four of us. While Trey is on this new kick, Clayson seems to be leveling out. He is growing out of some of it while Trey is growing into every bit of it. He also has girls calling the house, what?! He has a sudden interest in the cell phone, other than playing midnight pool. Clayson is more of a texter than a talker. They are both like me. I like to text and talk... and eat.

Attitudes fall right in line with the mouth. They work together, compadres. If it is like this at the ages of 9 and 11, it's going to be some very intense, long, teenage years. I know, I was just like them. I am getting paid back for the havoc I caused. What in the world will it be like when Ashlyn gets older? I'll fight that battle when it gets here. For now, I have two other battles raging on.


Thinking about how fast they grow and change makes me sad. Bring on the comfort food. Again.