I love that my kids - abby excluded - are at the age where I can say, "Girls, go play!" and they'll scamper off somewhere and find something to do. This is very useful when trying to cook dinner, for example.
They are also getting old enough that I can leave paper, markers, crayons, and colored pencils down at their level - thereby often eliminating the need for me to say, "Girls, go play!" They do it themselves. And stay occupied. For a very, very long time.
Hallelujah.
And sometimes, when all is calm in the kitchen and emails are sent, I'll sit and listen to them say the funniest things to each other, like this:
Emma: Why is drizella and anastasia (from Cinderella) so mean?
Samantha: Because they don't believe in Jesus.
Emma: Maybe God should send Jonah to go tell them.
True. All true. Except the Jonah part, of course.
So back to me watching them....
And recently, abby wants to get in on the action. I have discovered that letting her hold the markers brings untold bliss to everyone involved.
1) There are plenty of markers. Her holding one or two won't cause any property wars.
2) She stops screaming.
3) She isn't yet old enough to pull the lids off.
4) She doesn't destroy the masterpieces-in-progress.
Emma is usually happy to have abby around (as long as nothing is being destroyed), but Samantha still finds her a bit annoying. Samantha gets irritated when Abby bumps her, and is often convinced that abby is out to get her. But there is usually peace. A very delicate peace, but peace is peace.
"Mom, why are you down there? What could possibly be so important that you have to lay down on the floor to do it?"
Samantha had been bitten by a mosquito near the eye the night before this photo, so her face is all swollen up - just another side effect of having sensitive skin. 
I love this picture - this is part of the essence of Today's Emma: always working hard on some project, some letter, some picture, some creation. 
...and she's usually pretty happy with whatever she's created. 
And usually, by the time this is over, dinner is ready.Amen.
2 comments:
I love the stage when they can hold, but not open, the markers!!! Unfortunately, my little man just moved past that stage. :( Thank you, Crayola, for Color Wonder, though - they don't do too much damage, but it still irrates big sis a little for him to just mess around with them.
That's awesome! Ali is still at the age where she usually wants me around. I guess another argument to have a sibling.
When I read the first sentence of this post, I had to read it again - I swear I read "I love my kids - Abby excluded - ..."
:)
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