Don't Want To Know...

I came home from work yesterday, and Austin was no where to be found. I knew he made it home from school because his bike was in the garage. Ryan proceeded to inform me that he was asleep in his room....Two hours past....Ryan and I played Candyland with Carter and Yahtzee with Preston, cooked dinner, put away laundry...he finally appeared around 6:45, just in time for dinner, clad only in his underwear and a blanket wrapped around his newly formed muscular body. I say "newly" because these "things"....real-live adolescent muscles...have recently materialized all over "the teenager". He said hello, played with the dogs, and disappeared for a quick bath before dinner was actually served.

This napping after school is becoming a daily ritual for Austin...further solidifying his approach into puberty...ouch...That word was even hard for me to type...Once the boys ate dinner, the kitchen was cleaned, dessert was consumed, and teeth were brushed, Ryan and I put Carter and Preston to bed, and Austin departed for ANOTHER bath! Okay...he just took one before dinner...not even 45 minutes ago! Ryan and I collectively shook our heads, and retired downstairs for some alone time. About 20 minutes later, we were sitting in the family room conversing about the logistics of the day and future plans, and Austin came down to hang with us for a bit as he does every night. We have had some pretty interesting, eye opening discussions with "the teenager" during the hours of 8:00-10:00 PM...extremely entertaining...He told us a story about something he said to his science teacher that made him laugh and that his "girlfriend", Mia, thought was very funny, you know how it is, and he went back upstairs. Ryan and I reconvened our conversation, and I stopped in my tracks....I heard running water for the 3rd time. It was Austin in the bath again....Really? I have decided to let Ryan handle this, and I do not want know what he is doing in there...and I don't know how I am going to make it through all 4 of these boys turning into teenagers...