1. Time flies when:
A) You get to change 17 diapers a day
B) You spend a good portion of your day transporting children to and from the "naughty spot"
C) The sleep you get a night feels a whole lot like the sleep you got during finals week in college
D) You're having fun
E) All of the above
2. The above question is an attempt to make excuses for:
A) My house smelling like dirty diapers
B) Having various "naughty spots" throughout the house (and DVR'ing Supernanny)
C) Growling at the cat, having popsicles for dinner, and pretending like I'm still asleep when 30 little fingers are dragging me off my bed in the morning
D) Neglecting the blog
E) All of the above
Needless to say, things around here are like one big New Year's Eve celebration....the place is a mess, people eat things they normally wouldn't (after all, we'll start the diet tomorrow, right?), there's a lot of noise, and someone manages to stay up all night.
Is it 2007 yet?
Just kidding. Actually, it's going pretty well. The big kids are adjusting well to having Astrid in the house. Ethan is her strong protector, Julia just wants to know when she'll be old enough to play Barbie, and Asa has made a game out of trying to see if he can touch her eyeballs before she can get her lids over them. They all love her so much, though!
I've realized recently that the actions, words, and attitudes of our children tell us a little (or a lot) about how we're doing as parents. I can make out a refelction of myself in the way they interact with the world, and how they view themselves. Some of their behaviors help me to see the example that I'm setting for them through their eyes and perceptions.
Astrid's eyes are still very blue. They're not quite as light as Asa's were as a baby, but not as dark as Ethan's. Of course, there's no way to tell what color they will end up. As Ethan was studying his baby sister yesterday he suddenly exclaimed, "I didn't know Astrid had blue eyes like Asa!" I confirmed that, yes, indeed she does, but so do many babies when they're very young.
"You sure did," I told him.
He sighed, slumped his shoulders, and muttered "I wish I still had blue eyes."
I lifted his chin, looked into his big, deep, almond-colored eyes, and told him, "Your eyes are beautiful. They are the exact color that God made them, and I love them. Not only that, YOU are the exact little boy that God made you and I wouldn't want it any other way."
That may, to some, have just sounded like a kid who wants to identify with his brother and sister, but I think it was deeper than that.
In certain light, Asa's eyes can be stunning. When we're outside, the sun is shining, and the azure sky is mirrored in them, they take on a brilliant blue sparkle framed by long, thick, black lashes. Quite often, a passing stranger will be compelled to comment on them, gushing about how beautiful they are. If you ask Asa what color his eyes are he'll flash you his cheesy, puffy-lipped grin and proudly say "Blue!". Honestly, how many 2 year olds know what color eyes they have?
So, here comes the confession.....
It's not just strangers who find themselves drawn to Asa and those eyes. We've made them a big deal, too.
I know, I know, when you encourage your children you should praise the things about them that are deeper, of lasting value, and point out the quality of their character. But, our kids are darn cute and sometimes we just can't help but talk about it!
I realized at that moment that the fuss over Asa's eyes had, at some point, caused Ethan to doubt the value of who he is when measured with the same stick as his little brother. And I was disappointed with myself when it became clear to me that this method of measurement was based on physical appearance. Sure, I want my children to feel good about how they look. But, more importantly, I want them to feel great about who they are. It's less important for their faces to be clean, than it is for their hearts to be pure.
I want to instill that in them. I want to be sure that when Ethan, Julia, Asa, and Astrid grow up they inherently measure themselves based on the strength of their character and who they are in Christ. So that, when people look at them, they see a sparkle in their eyes that comes not from an outside reflection, but from the brilliant light shining within.
Astrid
Ethan and Astrid
Asa and Julia
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