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Only on the 13th

“I love the 13th of every month!” said Sam as we backed out of the driveway this morning. I knew why. He was born on July 13th and has never considered it unlucky.

I pointed out he is 11 years and 2 months old today. Even though I don’t homeschool, I home-school, if you know what I mean. I couldn’t resist asking: How many months old are you?

Sam

It took him to the end of our street to determine 134 months. I thought about how when I was a young mom and I subscribed to all the baby site’s newsletters. I’d log onto the computer on certain mornings and see that one of my kids was 4 months or 9 months or 15 months. I read these emails eagerly, scanning for confirmation they were either on track or advanced for their ages. I don’t quite remember when I stopped reading and stopped subscribing when I’d find out a new baby was on the way. The worst was when I had my first miscarriage and the emails still arrived, month after month. You are 7 months pregnant! No, I’m not.

At some point, the emails tapered off. Maybe they noticed I hadn’t opened them in months, so my address was sloughed away. I’m picturing it washing down a drain or peeled off like a bandaid.

My 134-month-old son is at school. I hope he didn’t have trouble with his locker today and that he remembers to pack all of his homework. I’m pretty sure he’s right on track. Going with my gut on this one.

~~~~~~

I’m participating in Heather of the EO’s Just Write exercise. It took me longer to find a photo than write. It was taken when he was 132 months.

9 comments to Only on the 13th

  • Yes about going with the gut and not needing the emails and all that. Around kid #3 I realized all the parenting magazines said the same things, month after month. I would rather read about sports thank you.

  • Ah…3 times I’ve gone through that…those heart breaking emails all perky and stating where they think you are “24 weeks today!” and yet you’re not. I made the mistake on one of them making my “name” the duedate and even a year later when I wanted to start a new account – the other one kept popping up because I had linked it to my email address. sigh. nevermind. perhaps I should just read those “where you are in your pregnancy” books until I’m in labor. . . . I think it would be fun to introduce my older adult children in “months old” terms – lol – i’m off to the calculator to figure it out! 🙂 lol
    Thanks for sharing!!!
    linking up on “just write”
    Michelle G

  • Jo

    I’m tempted to see how many months my kids are but am afraid to break out in heaving sobs. Mine are almost 16, 12, almost 3 and 8 months.

    🙂

  • I remember subscribing to all of those emails and newsletters too. Pouring over parenting magazines while i’d nurse.

    Happy 134 months to your boy!

  • That’s really old!! LOL!

    I don’t even what to figure out how many months old I am…

  • I don’t know about you but I think we never open those update emails because they never had anything helpful to say but if there was a “you have a 9-year-old” option on Babycenter I would totally subscribe.

    Steph

  • Were you on Babycenter? I was in a 9/99 group and am still friends to this day with about 8 of the moms… we talk daily. I am a 13th kid too… never though of myself as unlucky either… in fact, I consider us, the 13’s, rather lucky 🙂

  • I love everything about this, Gretchen.

    I’m still getting the emails for Kieran. Got one this morning, actually. Deleted it without reading it.

  • I love this. Thank you so much for joining me. I’m so glad you did. I want MORE. You “Just Write” very well. OF COURSE. 🙂

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