Having 5 kids is such an eye opener to life. You read about birth order and the characteristics of children. You think you got it all figured out. "Birth order" characteristics has less to do with the order you were born, but more to do with the fatigue of the parent and the parent's choices in where to direct their dwindling energy resources.
There are these young parents. They're idealists. They are going to read the books. They are going to do their research. They are not going to have kids like umm, you know who. Their kids are always going to do amazing things and be the perfect children. Yep! The first child is so smart, so advanced, cause, well Mom and Dad have no life. Their focus is on that child 100%. The child can't get away with anything. This child is such a dream, the parents think, ahh we have done such a good job. Look at what we have here. We gotta have another.
The planning, the dreaming. The friendship of the two perfect children.
Then baby comes. Your first sign is when the children don't sleep at the same time. The next sign is when your Perfect Firstborn realizes how smart he/she really is. Mom has baby, mom can't move as fast. Lets see how many cookies I can eat before getting caught!
They are friends, they like to say that's my sister and that's my brother. Ahhh, we have such wonderful children and let's have another. No one stopped to think 3 makes an odd number.
Next thing you know you are on this wonderful roller coaster of life with children and there are 5. You realize you never do the body part game with your youngest like you did with the older ones. By two they could name every body part, count to 10 and recite their ABCs, well almost. We better do the body game to just make sure he is on track developementally.
I ask D "what's that?" He looks at his naked torso. "My booby dot."
Snicker quietly. Again, I ask, "What is that?" Reply, "My booby dot." Hmmm, that accounts for 2 "thats".
Again, "what is that?"
"My booby dot."
By this time all are rolling laughing. he thinks this is great! (Does anyone say belly button? Nooo, it is booby dot!) I take a deep breath and can't help to go with the theme, I snatch him up and say, "NOOOOO, that is your tickle dot!" I'll make sure he knows his anatomy with in the next year. It sure is not an indicator of his intelligence. We know his brain is working. He knows exactly what to do to achieve the exact scream he wants from his sisters. He knows how to annoy his brother at just the perfect time. He can take his oldest brother down when he strategically plans his moves. Somehow, his brother N believes D can shove an eraser up his (N's) nose without him knowing about it until it hurts. That is a skill that just can't be taught. And well, Idon't have kids like you know who. I have my kids, and they are handfuls. They are frustrating and annoying. But they are so endearing, sweet and loving and I am so thankful to have them call me Mom. I am thankful they are growing in stature and wisdom and that they love our Lord, God.
No comments:
Post a Comment