When Did This Happen???

They're weird.

They smell funny.

Most of the time they vacillate between being toddlers and strange, small adults, never staying on one side for long.

They whine. OH THE WHINING.

They desperately want independence but none of the accompanying responsibility.

They test boundaries. All.The.Time.

They eat as much as professional athletes. 

They outgrow their clothing and shoes every two weeks.

Since my son has been firmly in this weird in-between stage for a while now, I'm used to dealing with the boy stuff. He tells me he's out of deodorant the day he runs out. I have to remind him to put pants on. I have learned to shield my eyes whenever I open his door because I never know what's on the other side. He has discovered girls and figured out that little sisters aren't so annoying when they have cute friends. He's goofy and loves to hang out with the kids who understand goofiness. He's forgetful and scatterbrained. 

Then the girls edged closer to this time of transition. And closer. And closer.

I've said for years that I feared they would hit puberty very near one another even though they are two years apart. The day of reckoning is soon upon us.

A few months ago, I was downloading pictures of the older one and saw it. The shadow. The OHMYGOD we need to go shopping for foundation garments shadow.

Then this week we went to the pool and I had that holy crap moment. You know, when you realize that you're the mom of the girl at the pool with the body and she's in the bikini and you have no freaking clue when this happened. 

That.

I bought her Are You There God? It's Me, Margaret about a month ago. 

Then curled up in the fetal position and cried. 

When did this happen?

I even re-read it to make sure it was as I remembered, and it was. In all it's glory. 

Shh. You know you did your exercises while chanting we must increase our busts. 

Good lord. 

She wants to shave her legs. She takes showers without me asking forcing her to anymore. She wears deodorant because she doesn't want to stink. 

She doesn't wear clothes. She builds outfits. She has been known to hyperventilate over missing pieces.

She sings. Constantly. She sings to her friends on Skype. She sings in the bathroom. All the time.

She just spent the better part of an hour begging me to let her cut bangs. AN HOUR of flat our freaking out about hair. I had to talk her off the ledge, literally. About bangs.

Her sister is right behind her, and they already either love each other or hate each other. There is nothing in the middle....and they haven't even discovered boys yet. 

Puberty can suck it.

I can't promise we'll all make it through to the other side, but at least a few of us should survive.