These Three

On a Sunday afternoon, at the end of May,
I have only the time to record a few quick thoughts.

Myles is 19 months old and full of vim and vigor.  His eyes express reluctance and hesitation until you are in his inner circle.  Once you're in, you are blessed by his amazing sparkle and charm.  His favorite places are outside and in Papa's arms.  He detests his car seat.  He eats an embarrassing number of "pouches" every day (the little fruit puree push-up genius inventions).  He knows how to open the cupboard and get them out, and he would gladly eat them for every meal and every snack of the day.  I still want him to be my baby, but I also want him to start talking and using the toilet.  If I had to choose, I would go with the latter.

One of the other mothers from Isaac's class told me the other day that Isaac is "so charismatic." I wish that I could see what he is like in school because I get the sense that he has multiple personalities.

 He is certainly a ham, but he has the sweetest little spirit.  He is thoughtful, generous, giving, goofy, and tender.  He is pretty proud of his recent accomplishment of diving to the bottom of our pool's deep end (8.5 feet) and collecting multiple rings.  His has become our second little fish and spends hours in the pool.  He just finished his first year of "school," and he literally LOVED EVERY MINUTE.  He had the most incredible teacher, and he wanted to go 7 days a week.  He is very sad about summer vacation, and I already anticipate the countless times he is going to ask when he gets to go back to school.

Clare...

She has changed a lot in the past few months.  It seems like she's really grown up, and her desire is always to please others.  Rather than always being first, best, fastest, and victorious, she now defers to her brothers and delights in their successes.  She loves being our little helper, and she doesn't want to miss a beat.  She is the last one asleep at night and the first one awake in the morning.  She wants to make her own pancakes every morning...start to finish...except for the clean-up part.  She's gotten very good, and she has yet to get sick from the copious amounts of batter that she's eaten.

She is definitely Daddy's girl when it comes to loving animals.  Phil brought home a hornbill that needed round-the-clock care, and Clare was always on feeding duty.  She and Phil share an innate connection with animals that is fascinating to watch.  Regarding nature vs. nurture, it is definitely in her nature because Isaac is seemingly as uninterested as she is interested.

We have a pair of hawks that hang around our house, and Clare spots them before anyone else.  She is incredibly observant, and she notices things that I completely overlook.  The other day, she saw her "little buddy" on the fence, and she kept saying, "Birds are just so beautiful."  Only the daughter of an ornithologist. 

  So much more to say, but this has to do for now.

All is well.  Very well!