My Kids Are Cute

I just have to say that.

Constance cut the bottom of her foot. She was sitting on the floor in the kitchen, waiting for bandaids and moaning. Emily wandered over, sat down by Constance, grabbed her ankles, and started moaning. I can't believe some of the things she does. She loves to help put away dishes. She'll grab some silverware and put them in the drawer, standing on her tip-toes to reach. Or she'll grab a bowl or a cup and throw it (yes, actually throw it) into the cupboard where it goes. Of course, she gets a little too helpful when she starts putting away the dirty dishes. She tests her limits, too. She like to climb on the chairs, and I have found her more than once on the table picking at my flowers or playing in someone's food. She also learned how to lie accross the gap between the couch and the coffee table. I have a hard time finding towels, because she'll take them. She loves to play peek-a-boo and to say "uh-oh."

Dante is such a mother hen. I assume it's like this with any oldest, especially when the father isn't around much, but Dante seems to feel obligated to keep the other kids in line. Of course it can get exasperating, but I appreciate the care that it shows. He is such a big help around the house, doing dishes, getting clothes for the girls, cleaning up, and even folding laundry. He gets frustrated helping out sometimes, but I'm trying to teach him that everyone pitches in, even Emily. He loves making Emily laugh, playing peek-a-boo, and getting her to say "uh-oh." He also got her undressed yesterday, and he seemed pretty pleased with himself. I'm a little concerned with his school. He says that he wants to go to school, yet it seems like every time I ask him how school was, he says, "Not very fun" and tells me about how he got in trouble or something. I think he likes school mostly for friends and doesn't want to leave them. I am going to try to start getting him involved in a homeschool group, getting to know homeschooling kids, so that by next school year he will be friends with some of them. That way we can make the transition back to homeschool easier.

I feel so sorry for my little Constance. She plays so well by herself that I tend to ignore her, or I am getting after her for screaming while she's playing with others. She can be so peculiar. Whe we were in Kent, she always wanted the door closed at bed time. Now, she always wants it open. I'm pretty sure that she only wanted it closed before because Dante wanted it open :) If she gets hurt, she says, "I be okay." If someone else gets hurt, she says, "You be okay." When I give her kisses at night, she gives me a great big smacker right on the lips. Either that, or she'll kiss my eyes and nose. She likes to sing the Dora song when we're going somewhere--"Come on now, vamanos! Everybody. Let's go! Come on now let's get to it. I know that we can do it! Where are we going? (Insert destination) Where are we going? (Insert destination)" and so on and so forth. Her favorite toys are her little Dora that she got for Christmas and a little stuffed dog that she got for her "birthday" last November. She is always talking about her dog, and people get confused. "You have a dog?" they say. The kind that I like the best, at least for now!

I just really like my kids! And I know that everyone else must like them, too. I think, "If anyone just meets my kids, they're bound to love them instantaneously!" They've got to!