Random nothings!

So, the phase before the 'Teens' apparently is not 'PRE-TEENS' anymore. It's called the 'TWEENS', corrected by my 9 and a half-year-old, authoritatively. My my, today, I don't understand which phase of motherhood was tougher. Apparently, it's only going to get worse it seems, as one of my friends who has an 11-year-old boy, tells me reassuringly. I hated the confidence in her tone, and I even told her that. I was probably, expecting her to smooth-en the wrinkles on my forehead with statements like "Oh don't worry, he will be fine when he is 10", but no. The lines increased. Every day, every morning, noon, night I only hear "I am a BIG boy now". There is sulking, loads of it, lots of drama. My son and I have catfights now. My husband poor fellow has turned into an Umpire/peacemaker. Always trying to make us come to a common ground. He wants to do everything. He wants to butt into an adult conversation, as he has somethin