I never thought I would be here.. honestly I don't know if I'm simple or what but I never really thought past the baby stage.  Does anyone?  I mean you have these darling little bundles of joy (and work) and they're cute.  They are always going to listen to you, eat what you say, do what you say, wear what you say right?!!!!  
I should have known when they (the two teens- 12 mos and 3 weeks apart INSERT BIG WIDE EYES)  started saying "NO" at like 14 mos or something... BUT I STILL DIDN'T.
Fast Forward nearly 14 and 15 years... I'm confused!!  Teenagers are not for the weak of heart.  My mornings typically start the same... I hear the shower go on... Kid#2 is a rule follower and he heard probably once from me that he needed to shower when he woke up- SO HE DOES.  Then I hear footsteps, Kid #1 comes down the stairs and I say in my sweetest voice, "Good morning Princess, did you sleep like an angel."  
"MOM, not now."
"Ok, when," I say.
"M OOOOO M, seriously STOP, " she says louder.
Ok, so you get my point but this is just the tip of the ice berg.  They are like hanging all over me calling me "Momma" (which ended like 13 years ago) or they are like gremlins wreaking havoc through our house! 
My ten year old frequently states that he DOES NOT 'want to go through puberty.'  He conveniently also announces that he won't act like that (still trying to catch a video of that to play it back in the not so distant future).
Sometimes I feel like my head has been slapped from side to side- each direction getting a different personality...
The best part about all of this however is that anytime I share how I'm feeling with a wise confident... their response is always similar.  "Ahh, they're 13 and 14- I fear it may get worse before it gets better."  INSERT SCREECHING HAULT NOISE... WHAT????  UHM....truthfully the statement gives me comfort.  These people never look concerned.  They relate to me.  
The bottom line is that I never thought that my babies would turn into these thinking, opinionated, willful, affectionate, kind and loving individuals...but secretly I'm so glad they have!!  (and I'm hoping I get to play the video back to Kid #3 because that will mean he has too!)