What I'm Loving About My Kids Right Now

Kyle * 11 3/4 - The Atomic Fireball

• He can be the wimpiest 11 yr. old you've ever seen but he steps into the goalie box and he turns into the atomic fireball (if I had to give him a superhero name, that's what it would be). Each week I'm impressed with how much courage he has in that position. I really think it is his calling.
• He may fight with Abbie all day long but when he is away and sees something or receives something he thinks she would like, he always brings it home for her. Not Daisy (his visible favorite) but Abbie. I know underneath all the frustration he currently has for his 3 yr. old sister he really still adores her.
• The loyalty he inspires in his friends. He got into a scrape at school a few weeks ago and at least two kids we know went home that night terribly upset that Kyle got a raw deal. A parent from each home found Tripp later that week to tell him that their child was disturbed by what transpired with Kyle and tried to get the teachers to do the right thing. I don't think many pesky 11 yr. olds can say that.
• His reading skills. The kid can read. He was on restriction for 9 days recently and read the entire Harry Potter series so that he would be ready for the 6th movie this summer. He is having a harder time finding books at his reading level that are also at his age level but he is an amazing reader which I know has translated into his great writing this year.

Abbie * 3 1/2

• That she is old enough now to really play. It is so fun to watch her talk anyone she can into playing elaborate princess or pony games with her. Aunt Sam and Kristen Howie are some of my favorites to watch although Grandma Sandy playing the endless round of ponies was quite a hoot as well.
• When she asks me for the flashlight so she can look under the couch for "cwews" - clues. She thinks she is a detective.
• Watching her put on a pair of glasses (the plastic Harry Potter ones Tara and I got from the last book release party), get out a piano book and sit down for her lesson which consists of her playing the piano and singing Scripture Power, I Love to See the Temple, or some other Primary song.
• That her very favorite clothes (outside of dress-up princess clothes) are always, without fail, the ones Aunt Sam payed a couple of bucks for off the Gap sale rack. She doesn't know where they came from but it's like a magnet, she is drawn to whatever Sam gave her.
• How much she loves to read. Our house is covered in stacks of books that Abbie has left after being called to dinner or for school or whatever. She pulls stacks out and finds a place to sit down and read then inevitably gets called away. It's a miracle we haven't lost any library books.
• She's moved on to princess movies (yes, the day finally came when she got hooked on Cinderella) but I love that she will still make room for other great movies. For example, she is into Aladin right now but every couple of days will watch Mary Poppins instead then out of the blue will ditch both for Alice in Wonderland or some old non-princess favorite for the week.

Daisy * 17 Months

• Watching her sign "socks" is one of the funniest things I've ever seen. Abbie's signing was cute but Daisy's is seriously funny.
• That she cracks herself up...on a regular basis. I mean belly laughs at herself. She thinks she is the funniest person ever.
• Her snuggle bed which she loves filled with her two small blankies, a blankie Tripp and I bought her in London and the huge blankie Nikki B. made for her when she was born (over top). Then, she likes all her stuffers (stuffed animals) shoved in around her. It's quite a site. A pillow, four blankets and at least four stuffers (snoopy, grover, teddy and giraffe) all around tiny Daisy is something to behold.
• Her insane hair. It's like a frizzy puffball most of the time. I've cut it so many times now just so that it won't look totally insane but it just keeps growing and getting curlier but not curling quite like Abbie's and mine...more of a wavy frizz. Tripp's or Aunt Lindsay's perhaps? I'm not sure but until it gets longer (which it doesn't want to do everywhere, just in crazy places) it is an interesting hairdo. It gives me a good laugh on a daily basis.
• That she loves to play babies. She will ask for the baby bucket and get them all out and give them bottles and put them to bed. It's pretty funny to watch such a biddy baby want to take care of baby dolls.