Peronsalities

Thus far I have 4 children. Thus 4 I have 4 VERY different children. The fact that they are all so different from each other and pretty much all other children I have met amazes, amuses and astounds me. 

My eldest son:
He is old enough to go to school and loves it. He didn't really want to have much to do with learning letters and things of that nature before school and I didn't send him to preschool. He can read the bible with very little problem. I find that incredible. He loves detail. He loves Lego's and building highly intricate things. He loves cars and trucks, he honestly can identify most vehicle makes. ( I can't) He loves looking for the logos on things. He loves Star Wars and Bakugans ( which I think are actually pretty cool but you probably don't know what they are.) He loves reading and helping and hugging and tickling. He has a yellow knit blanket that was made for him as an infant that he still loves. It has been repaired several times. He is a rather calm child. He can sit and play or work on things for EXTREMELY long periods of time. Far longer than the average kid his age. He has a very impressive vocabulary which makes me very happy.Here are some examples:
At at 2 1/2 yr: "Thank you very much for your assistance."
(I can't remember all the ages.)
"My tent is too slack."
"My conversation with Grandma was very enjoyable."
"... for little minions like my brother...."
He told his teacher that the pieces they were using were "inedible" in kindergarten. I loved the expression she gave him. Priceless.

My eldest daughter:
Currently believes she is in charge. This evening I was trying to understand who her real parents are and if they are ready to take a turn with her. She can be hysterically funny. Ninja Turtles are a big thing right now. Don't get to close while she is showing you her ninja moves- you might get hurt. She is full of attitude. She is pretty far on the small side of average, but I don't think she realizes that. The #1 insult to her is being called "little". Don't ever mention that. A woman at church watched her walk by one time and turned to me commenting "That may not be a big body, but I swear she is about 6 ft tall." She doesn't put up with anything from anybody, which leaves me frequently physically "assisting"her with tasks that I have asked her to do. *She has NO problem approaching adults and has several times simply informed them that they are wrong. Generally, when she has done this they really were wrong, so I let it go. She also does not NEED people. She will deal with them and interact with them when she wants to. But she is perfectly content to play in the dirt without anyone else around. She is the destroyer of clothing, and more boyish then her elder brother. She looks like a princess and might fool someone who isn't paying attention. Yes, there she is in a beautiful dress with her hair in a lovely braid, suddenly down on all fours running down the hallway claiming she is a dog.

She went through a period of time that really helped my imagination. She would only answer to her alter ego. The problem was, that ego changed frequently. When wanting the dishes unloaded or the clothes put away you had to first figure out who you were addressing, some of our most common names were:
Puppy
Kitty
Duck
Superman
Spiderman
Batman
Superhero (yes some days her name was Superhero.)
Baby Godzilla
Raphael, still makes common appearances.

She is all attitude. I have no desire to "break" her of it. I have a feeling someday she will really need it. For now we are trying to work around it, and redirect it.

My second son,
He is like this wonderful secret that my family has. He is sweet and charming and so terribly funny. He tells the best jokes and stories. I have some of the best conversations with him and he is still very young. He has a brilliant mind and is very good at figuring things out. He worships his siblings. He can be very mischievous at times. The thing that amuses me about him is that he really is a secret. There are very few people who ever get to experience just how awesome he really is.

He has a "list". His list is what keeps his secret safe. If you are not on that list you do not exist to him. It is so funny to watch. His older siblings are rather outgoing so people try to treat him the same way. It doesn't work. In order to receive his acknowledgement you must take the time to build a relationship with him or you are not part of his world. I have watched several people who want to be on that list, but who won't take the time to get there. He will not be pestered into loving you, or tickled. You can't make an occasional comment or hand him a piece of candy. He requires your sincere attention doing something with him that he loves to do to get on that list. I have heard numerous people tell me that "He just doesn't say much to me", "He is awfully quiet", "I had no idea he was that smart", " I didn't know he could speak that well". Well if you aren't on that list, he doesn't speak that well and he isn't that smart. Sometimes I really wish the world could experience just how awesome he really is. But I guess he will be our secret.

My second daughter:
When my niece, who is approximately the same age, is happy she grins a sweet little grin at you. When my daughter is happy there is a full body joyous celebration. She is an all or nothing babe. She is angry, concentrating or EXCITED. Those are the moods. Take your pick. There are no other options.  If you want to see EXCITED just put your head close enough for her to get your hair. Oh the rapturous squeals! She is young enough yet that it will be exciting to see what other personality quirks she fits in.

I think they are so wonderful and I love to brag about them. I find it terribly sad that there are people in this world that would do horrible things to children and would and will do anything and everything in my power to protect them.

What gifts I have been given.


*As a side note. I have decided not to teach the whole "you don't talk to adults like that" thing. If I follow that logic out I am leaving myself open to speaking to siblings or friends unkindly or inappropriately also. I am opting for an "everyone deserves to be spoken to with respect." That is until they cross the line and overstep what is appropriate.