love multiplied

As my kids grow I am amazed at their unique and adorable personalities; I love that they each have a special place in my heart. I am coming to realize that as you add more children to your family, although you do have to divide your time between them, it's almost the opposite with your love - it really does multiply! They each hold such a special place in my heart, as unique and individual as their little selves. I love each of their little quirks and personalities so much.

I loved watching Ella this morning, drinking milk from her cereal bowl in earnest; long eyelashes, milk mustache, her morning hair all nice and clean from last night's bath. As soon as she downed the bowl she held it out for a refill (actually, refill #4 - this girl is serious about her breakfast cereal).

This sweet glimpse of our girl is in nice contrast to her ear-piercing shriek she has developed just in the last two days. It comes out especially during moments of frustration, particularly while playing with mega blocks (can't....get....them....to....go...on...straight!!), or when bugged by her brother. She also has a new-found fascination with the big-girl potty and particularly with toilet paper. She can't get enough of sitting up there like a big girl, then pulling out as much toilet paper as possible and shoving it between her legs into the potty.

You can almost see the wheels in our James' head turning as he makes and designs things and comes up with all sorts of ideas. His recent love is the show "Mythbusters" - he thinks it is the coolest thing ever, and loves watching all of the crazy experiments and things that they do. You should see the machines and things he designs on paper - I think he's going to be some kind of scientist or engineer someday.

James wakes up around midnight (I haven't yet gone to bed), bleary-eyed and a little disoriented. "Mommy?" he says, then wonders aloud if it's time to get up or not. I take my sweet big boy back to bed, tuck him in and snuggle with him for a few minutes. He is becoming such a big boy these days, yet he still has such a special place in my heart; he’s still my baby. I love that he will still snuggle with me, and that he still waves, blows kisses and calls out “I love you!” (multiple times) from his line of classmates at school when I drop him off each day.