The Poses of a Princess . . .

Well, Ali is a completely different creature from the boys. Having witnessed the debate of nature versus nurture, I really wondered how different this little girl was going to be from her brothers. I knew I was predisposing her somewhat to being a "girly girl" with my fascination with pink, bows, and baby dolls. But, come on! I didn't make her this much a girly girl. Some of this has to be natural! Ali is all GIRL. She will turn three on Tuesday and has more dolls than is respectable. She loves each one and would take in any orphan who came her way. (That means she will pick up ANY baby who appears to be lost--the ones in the parking lot at Wal-Mart or in the waiting room at the doctor's office. YUCK!) Ali loves to match her clothes from the bows in her hair to the socks on her feet. She has certain outfits that she prefers. Why? Because she remembers that Mr. Terry (the greeter at Wal-Mart) told her she looked cute in that one. Or, her Papa told her she was looked "very pitty" in that dress. Her first mission after dressing on Sunday mornings is to show her daddy how "pitty" she looks. Oh yeah, she's a girly girl. Ali has the boys in her life wrapped around her finger. She insists on calling her daddy at least once each day to talk. She squeals when he comes home and loves to "show him sumthink" in her room. She just needs her daddy-fix. Although her brothers don't cater to her every whim, they are the first to defend her to one another or to the bully at the park. I truly fear for the safety of the boys who break her heart. Big brothers are already on patrol. I am enjoying having a daughter so much. We love to bake together, fold laundry, go shopping, or pick flowers. I find myself slowing down more each day to enjoy a little more cuddling time because she is my last baby. You will often find me in her room during nap holding my baby while she holds hers. Thank you God for my princess.

The Joys of Jon David . . .

Jon David is ALL boy. From the day I brought him home, I knew that the little man was a man's man. You know the baby who sprayed his mom EACH time she changed his diaper. You know the baby boy who was proud of his anatomy from the time he had ANY fine motor skills. Along with said fascination, he was also able to throw, kick, or dribble a ball by age two. (This was achieved before he spoke his first complete sentence.) He is still the best burper in the house, the only one to fire a cannon (expel gas) without any appearance of regret, and the one to spend more time on the potty than the other four of us combined. Jon David would make any man proud! I am not a man, so I am proud for completely different reasons. From the time he was a baby and suffering from chronic ear infections and asthma, I knew he was a special little guy. He is a "happy wheezer"--the kid who is sick so often but never complains. This translates into many things. He gets a shot and never flinches. He throws up and never wakes me (because he "knows I need my sleep"). He falls and hops up in spite of the blood. Jon David is my trooper. Jon David's first day of kindergarten is a glimpse into his heart. I dropped him off to his new teacher. (Who happened to be my kindergarten teacher, too.) He seemed a little apprehensive. I saw the redness and wetness of his eyes and asked if he was okay. He assured me he was. I asked again. He raised his chin and said, "Mom, this is my big day. I'll be okay. You taught me how to be okay." Wow, that's what being a mom is all about. We teach our kiddos how to be "okay" on their big days. What a precious joy! Other things that bring me such joy . . . Jon David's love for little ones. Babies adore him, and he already shows an acute awareness of them and their needs. I suspect he may be a coach one day--maybe only of his own children. I love the twinkle in his eye. Often, it stems from mischieviousness. It is also from a zest for life, a true appreciation for the things going on around him. I love the way he still holds on to me each morning when I wake him from his deep sleep. His legs are growing longer and wrap all the way around me now. But, he's not ready to let go. That makes two of us. Ah, the joys of Jon David.

The Curiosity of Caleb . . .

Caleb is our oldest. He is just over eight and the answer to my life-long prayer. I always wanted to be a mom. When Nathan and I married, I knew we would wait for a few years before having our first child. What I thought would be two or three years became seven. We were waiting for the PERFECT time and finally decided that there would be no such time. Eight years later, I now realize that God's timing was perfect. Caleb was the answer to my prayers and my wait for him has molded me into who I am. Caleb's a dynamic little man who has grown so much in the last year. He is curious about many things but most about God's creation. (Luckily, his daddy is a biologist and has a pretty good handle in that area.) Caleb loves critters just like his daddy. He could search for snakes and frogs all day. Caleb loves to set crawfish traps, go fishing, or bird watching. If he can watch a nature show, his world is complete. Caleb has no interest in ball sports but is pursuing an interest in swimming. He LOVES to be in the water and seems to have some natural ability. I pray this is a passion that he pursues for many years. From the time Caleb was two-years-old, he would sit for long periods of time with a snake, weed, or vine and play games. I have asked many times over the years what he was playing or what he was thinking. He always evades with a simple response that "I am playing my game, mom". But, I suspect amazing things are transpiring in his imagination. Caleb has had a love for dinosaurs and dragons for many years. Just recently, he has gotten turned on to reading. I enjoy watching the two interests collide. He is discovering the amazing worlds that want-to-be paleontologists (dino. scientists) have written about. The twinkle in his eye and the excitement in his voice when he is relating his stories thrill my very core. (Of course, I could care less that a T-rex was attacking a stegosaurus only to be foiled in his attempt!) I know that his imagination is being fed by these books just as I am feeding his little body. Caleb has a sensitive side and is beginning to show an interest in things eternal. He inquires about baptism on a regular basis and wants to know more about the workings of Christianity. We are so proud that the seeds we have been planting are growing into a love for God. We also pray that his sensitivity will develop into a heart for the lost and hurting. We believe God will grow him into a man who does His good works.

I finally gave in . . .

I have been watching many of you "blog" for months. It's something that I have been doing for years for my children . . . I just wasn't publishing it for all to see. Since I communicate much better when I write, I decided after the birth of my first son to journal for him. It's something I have continued as the other two have joined our family. I have written on a weekly basis the things that I found curious, precious, scary, and of utmost importance to all three kiddos. I know there will be the day that I won't remember the lilt of their voices when they enter the room. Or, I won't recall their heartfelt requests to God during family devotions. Perhaps I'll forget the embarrassing moments that they pray I won't remember. SOOOO, I have been keeping a record of each priceless expression, precious exchange and wondrous memory. This blogspot will be an extension of those journals. Granted, I won't share it all, but I hope you will be blessed by some of their innocence and some of my growing because of them.