Thursday, Thursday, Thursday

Today is Thursday. Yep, that's it . . . . it's just Thursday. There's nothing terribly special about today, it's just a day like most any other day. The sun has taken to hiding behind the clouds and it's sprinkling off and on. The kiddos aren't feeling that great with yucky coughs. It's just a typical day in mom-ville for me. Wonder boy is on Spring Break and itching to get back to school. I must do something extra special with him tomorrow while it's just the two of us, plus baby. The Divine Miss O went back to school today after being off for her school's Spring Break last week. She comes home filthy from head to toe and tuckered out - she loves it! Little Baby Love is working on her crawling skills. I worry about her. She's in physical therapy for crawling and walking. Her fine motor skills are off the charts (very well developed and she uses her brain to figure things out way more than I've seen other babies because she's not got the gross motor skills yet). Although she rolls everywhere and is pretty quick about it. Lately we have been catching her in the crawling position trying to figure out how to coordinate her legs and hands to move forward. She thinks a lot - you can see it. I truly, 110% adore my children!! My heart swells when I think about them and how beautiful, talented and brilliant they are each in their own right. I never want to be that mother that takes favorites. They all deny it, but sometimes you can see it when a mom has her favorite and I ache for the kids who don't have that special, unattainable spot. I always knew I wanted more than one or two kids. Being an only child and struggling with divorces and step families, having a bigger family with one man was my goal. I want my kids to love each other, lean on each other, play with each other, be there for each other, can't imagine life without each other. I want them to recognize each other's strengths and be proud of them (not jealous) and know each other's weaknesses but never think less because of them but instead cherish them. Those strengths and weaknesses make them who they are are . . . special. I didn't have that as a child and I miss it as an adult. My mom and I are very close. She was my sister growing up, my best friend, my protector as well as my mother. I love her very much and I relish the lessons I have learned growing up with her but it's different than the bonding I think I would have found with a sibling. A 100%, same parent, sibling, someone I had to live with day to day, not one that only came on the weekends that I was forced to tolerate. Siblings can be hard on each other in play and in life, but what lessons one can learn from that. My two older kids play together, teach each other new skills and of course fight with each other. From those few simple acts, they learn different styles of play, how to react to all kinds situations and how to stand up for themselves and be strong but also how to be willing to step down and let the other win as well. What value! I remember having a sleep over with a friend I had known for years in high school. We, including her little brother, slept outside that night. He was being a particular little stinker and I mentioned something about him behaving like a brat. My friend got really upset at me and I couldn't understand it. After he was behaving like such a jerkface, she still felt protective of him. Wow - what an eye opener for me. I felt like no matter how close I was with her or any other friend, I would never feel that bond. I know not all families are perfect and not all siblings like each other. I strive for my children to be thankful and appreciative of each other because that is the best gift I could ever give them . . . . each other!