Just some thoughts about the kids...

Madeline and Tucker are almost 5 and 2. They are changing so much daily. I just wanted to take the time to get down a few thoughts...

Madeline is so smart and intuitive. She is honest and sensitive. She is a great artist too.

I am proud of her school work and how hard her teacher says she works. I am proud that she can write her name really well and is beginning to read. She loves to sit and "write letters to her friends." I will tell her how to spell words and she will write everything correctly as I call out each letter to her. This is what we do in the morning a lot while I am doing chores.

I am proud of what a good big sister she is becoming. Tucker was mad at me tonight for putting diaper cream on his bottom and wouldn't stop crying. I had given him his tractor, his "wap im up" (blanket) and his beebee (lovey) but he wouldn't stop. Madeline got the tv remote and asked how to turn on one of his favorite cartoons "to make him happy."

Tonight I went to run and got home right at bed time. I got big hugs from Madeline and Tucker and then immediately started talking about bed time (I was hungry and tired). Madeline started crying and resisting. She said it was so mean of me to start talking about putting her to bed. That no one had played with her all day. I hugged her tight and we went to the floor to play. Although we DO lots of things together over the course of a day it was true that I had not taken the time to just sit and play. When I slow down despite all of the hurrying that I feel like I need to do and just listen to her I enjoy my life more. My priorities become clearer. My heart rate slows and I can feel my soul swelling. Really. I must remember to make my priorities more like my pre-schooler's. I bet we would all live much happier lives if we did.

This morning Madeline took one of the "Uni" unicorns that was mine when I was her age and laid it down on the kitchen table. I watched as she got out her markers and pencils and drew the unicorn. Exactly. Like it was the easiest thing she had ever done! It was a great drawing. Looks just like my Uni. I am excited that she shows so much talent and interest in something.

Now to Tucker. When I say he is bad I don't guess I mean that he is really BAD bad. I just mean that he is deliberate. He is deliberately funny and making us all pee ourselves with laughter or he is deliberately bad and making us all pee ourselves with laughter.

Let's just break down today and I think we will cover it all...

In the mornings he is my angel. He wants me to pick him up out of bed and then he does not want to leave my arms for at least an hour. Now, it is rare that I have an hour to just hold him but when I do, that is exactly what we do. And I LOVE it. Madeline Tucker and I pile up in my bed and watch cartoons until Sesame Street ends. That's 10 am folks. I said it.

This morning started out like all the others. He is a screaming little angel. I got him out of bed, changed his diaper and immediately he starts shouting orders. "WAP IM UP!" Wrap him up. "CHA-MA-MLK!" Chocolate milk. "CHUCK!" He wants to watch "The adventures of Chuck and Friends." I get all of that going, he is in my bed with his sissy while I do my chores, and then it all starts again. "MO CHUCK! MAAAAHHHMAAAHHH! MO CHUCK!" That means it's time to fast forward through the commercials so he can watch more Chuck. "MAAHHMAAHH! MO CHA-MA-MLK!" etc. You get the idea.

Chores done, the kids are finished watching cartoons and then they play. Every truck is out of the chest and Tucker is rolling them all under the armoire. For me to fetch. Then he hits his sister. Then he hides and poops and runs from me. Then he goes around the house closing all the doors and closing himself in the playroom at least twice. For me to come and "HEP!" Help. Then he wants to wash his hands in his Daddy's sink. Then he likes to get all of Madeline's dvds out of their cases and throw them in the floor. He likes to help me do laundry. We go and get Daddy and go to lunch. He throws everything. Screams just to make you laugh. Whispers just to make you laugh. Eats his food by lapping at it like a dog off his plate. Closes his eyes and pretends to be asleep while he is eating. And then falls asleep like a little angel on the way home. This gets us to about 2 pm. My days with this boy are very busy.

I love them both so much. They are like night and day. Madeline would have never DREAMED of doing the things Tucker does. A month or so ago we were eating corn and he decided to stick it up his nose. Just holding it there in one nostril looking at me sideways like, "Go ahead, try 'no' and see what happens." I mean, what kind of kid just comes up with the idea of sticking corn up his nose?! And KNOWING it is bad and hilarious at the same time. I think I had to tell Madeline once not to pick her nose. That was literally all it took. Tucker would just laugh at me if I tried to tell him not to stick anything up his nose.

Life is full. Life is good. I am tired and going to bed now. Goodnight.