Week of Thanks #3

I could write a 100 page essay on my third day of thanks, but I'll try not to bore you with a million funny stories about my little 3 amigos.  I always loved kids and started babysitting at a very early age.  Heck, I practically raised my baby brother on my hip.  There were those selfish teenage years where I swore I would never have children.  Kids would just tie me down, and I was a free spirit.  I even made a bet with my dad, signed and sealed, that if I ever had children I had to give him $1000.  Well, little did I know that he kept that little piece of paper for years.

As soon as I met Keith my ideas changed and we knew we wanted a big family, kind of like The Family Stone.  All of our quirky children and their families would come home for the holidays and we would all sit around the fireplace singing Christmas carols and drinking hot chocolate.  We would also be rich by then and live in that same house they lived in on that movie.  All of our kids would be super smart and athletic, and would buy me things from Anthro just because I am the greatest mom ever.  I digress.

The way we told my parents that we were expecting #1 was with a $1000 check.  It took them a second to figure it out, and then we quickly told them not to cash it because it was most definitely hot.  Now my dad says I owe him $4000.  Umm...don't think that was in the contract buddy.

I am so thankful for each of our children and for the place they hold in our family.  They are all extremely different, but all look the same.  They each have different needs and they each hold such a special place in my heart.  Here's a little tid bit about each one of my blessings.

#1 is an old soul.  She is the most observant child I have ever encountered and notices things that a kid should never notice.  She's definitely the first born in that she's bossy and knows everything.  She is very empathetic and is a worrier.  It takes her longer to try things out of her comfort zone, but when she gets the courage to do it, you will never see a bigger sense of achievement.  #1 is very organized and loves art and music.  I can see her growing up to be an artist selling her prints on the streets of New York.

 #2 is our affectionate free spirit.  She never stops smiling, is a great friend to anyone who will play with her and will make you laugh out loud at all her one liners.  She is completely fearless and very compliant.  She never misses an opportunity to compliment someone and her smokers laugh will light up a room.  #2 has decided that panties are over-rated and has been going commando for about a month now.  I can see her growing up to be the next Kelly Ripa...or Chelsey Lately.

#3 is a rough and tough, smelly little bruiser.  He would spend all day outside digging or playing in the fort.  He never misses a sighting of a ball, or anything that remotely resembles a ball.  #3 gets hurt at least once a day, follows his sisters around like a lost puppy and is the best snuggler I know.  He is going to be the next David Beckham, and this Momma's ticket to early retirement.

 Our favorite part of the day with our kids is bedtime when we all gather in the girls room.  The Hubby and I switch who we lay by every night and #3 climbs back and forth over all of us, stopping every few minutes to give us all slobbery kisses.  We have been reading the book of Matthew, one chapter a night, and then we discuss what we've read.  Tonight I started the prayers and asked somewhere in there that God would help us all remember the meaning of the holidays and focus on that, not just the presents.  #1 followed and asked that we would remember the meaning of Thanksgiving which is Jesus and the Pilgrims (obviously).  #2 then said her prayers and only asked that she would get lots of presents on Christmas.  It's never dull around here.