Darling, just darling...

I was trying to keep busy this morning because it is supposed to be a hot and sluggish day, but I was invited to play light-sabers with Owen.  In the middle of our heated "battle," Gabby walked out with her little stroller and babies.  She had her purse slung over her shoulder and walked right through our game.  

She strolled to a corner and proceeded to whisper and  hold and cuddle one of her babies.

I was the youngest of 4 and was never in daycare.  I don't even remember holding a real baby until I was...10?  I don't remember wanting to either.  I remember playing with dolls and wanting to do the dolls hair, but I don't remember being such a pretend caregiver as this.

 

She just walked up to me now and said, 

"I'm a big sister!"

Smiles.

She also told me the other day that she was going to read to the baby.

I told her I would too.

She corrected me and said that no, just she and Owen get to read to the baby.

:-)

Owen got a t-ball trophy...and he missed three weeks of it this summer!

There are so many things we deliberately teach our children.

There are some things we don't even think to teach our children but they pick it up somehow.

There are things we teach and train...over and over and over again.

Some things don't seem to stick.

Some things stick in one child, but the other can't seem to get it...or doesn't care to "get it."

Owen drew on our wall with a pencil when he was about 18 months old.

I told him we do not write on walls or furniture.

"We write on paper."

He never drew on another surface, other than paper, again.

Gabby, on the other hand, was told the same thing.

Definitely not the same outcome.

 I tell Owen everyday about proper responses and how he needs to handle certain emotions.

(i.e. anger and frustration...problem solving...ugh!)

Gabby, on the other hand, has been solving her "problems" as long as I remember.

She also can be told "no" or to go busy herself while Momma makes dinner and she will.

Let's not even talk about potty training!  :-)

You know another phenomenon???
More "experienced" moms are going to laugh at this...
Kids don't get easier as they get older...they just get different!
Different things are fun (just like having a baby), but other things become difficult.
The irony!
I have mentioned my latest idea about God and the fall of man, right?
Part of the curse was women had to give birth, but God's true sense of humor is that we want to do this.
And then we want to raise these sinful beings!

 Sigh...but then again, we do have access to His grace now.
hallelujah!