You will have less time doing things for them, people would tell me when the kids were younger, but more time to worry.

What I've found as Sian moves towards adolescence is that I have to factor something else into my morning routine on weekends-the dress inspection. Yesterday she had me buy her something at TJ Maxx that she said was a dress, and that I insisted was a shirt. As soon as she came out of her room on our way to church, I knew I was correct. Whatever they called it, an article of clothing that only came down about three inches below her backside was a shirt.

"Put on some leggings" I told her, saying black tights would not do-after all, this wasn't the sixties! After putting up a little protest, she went gamely back into her room for pants. Then she disappeared into the bathroom for about two hours (well, it seemed like two hours).

After she emerged, looking wonderfully and classically glam, not at all like your average 'tween poptart, she told me she wasn't wearing any make-up. The more she talked the more suspicious I got. But I couldn't see anything obvious, and we were late for church.

Tonight my 'tween took left her lovely clothes on the floor of her room, put her bathing suit on, and inflated our new pool. Although she left it a quarter full of water, and a trail of popcorn for the denizens of the night, I was still thrilled to see my little girl emerge, exuberant and free, playing Pied Piper on the front lawn with the neighborhood children.