WhoopJamboreeHoo!

It is fascinating to see the differences in children of the same age. We have been going to a class called Music Together that includes children around the girlcubs' age. The girlcubs dominate that class, roaming all around laughing and dancing, grabbing instruments and sitting on them. They climb all over Ms. Carey the leader of the class. They adore her, must be some sort of previous life stuff. They will sit in her arms the entire class checking in with me occasionally, but mostly wanting all her attention. I would be jealous if it weren't for the fact that I welcome the break. So the girls hang with Ms. Carey and their Daddy while Mommy just sings and dances hovering near them to tickle or poke. Anyway, my point was that the girlcubs are so vivacious compared to other children their age. Other kids seem so quiet and a bit timid next to my girls. Not that I find anything wrong with shy introspective children, in fact I like the subtley of them...It is just that my girls are definitely NOT subtle. And I LOVE it! We recently drove to to Taos, NM with the girlcubs for Amanda's wedding and everyone was floored by the expressiveness of the cubs. Rob's mom-in-law sighed and said "They just have so much joy in them" I think that statement pretty much sums it up. These girls have joy.

Oh, but do they also have woe. They just turned fifteen months and it has been so hot and they haven't been able to play outdoors much because it has been so hot and did I say it has been so hot? Argh! My Sweet Petites are arriving into full-blown tantrum territory. It usually happens after their afternoon nap (they get cranky just like their mommy). If I don't have milkies and snack ready to shove in their plump little mouths it can set them off...sometimes even if I am shoving snacks and milk into them they are still writhing. I try not to take it personally. I breathe alot and touch them gently or not at all depending on what seems to suit them and talk reassuringly telling them I know that they are tired and feeling emotional and need to let it out. I don't know if any of that helps them, but it does help me to not get caught up in the drama of it all. Though I do have plenty of moments of snapping.

So for the past two days the sky has threatened rain even giving us a few puny raindrops...teasing me with the sweet wet possibilities but nary a real shower. However, at least the when it does that the afternoons become bearable and the girlcubs can foray around the backyard. Yippee. They try to get as dirty as they can in the shortest amount of time. They slide and rock in my plastic rocking horse from childhood. They ransack the garden and try to move boulders. Freya tries to creep between the sheds towards the dog poop can and I have to call her back. Ursa loves to stand on top of the rocking horse from my childhood threatening to fall backwards busting her head on the hard dry earth...Today they sat in the flowerbed scooping up piles of dirt. Freya's hands were filthy and she stuck a finger in her mouth. I made the mistake of squishing up my face and saying "Nasty, don't stick your dirty fingers in your mouth, Freybie" Well that started them on their game. They both laughed at me with those laughs...Oh those delightful devilish laughs with that sparkle in their eyes and their four big teeth poking out...and Ursa scooped dirt into her hand and promptly shoved it into her mouth. "ooohhh, yucky, Baby...How does that dirt taste? Pretty Good?" Freybie licks her filth smeared hand "Grody, Baby. Nasty old fingers. Yum Yum?" They giggled somemore scooping and licking. Flecks of dirt all over their cheeks and lips and rolling across their tongues. Oh waht vagabonds my children are. I'm sure both their grandmothers would be appalled. I on the other hand love to see those toothy smiles and wrinkled up noses...so I'm willing to suffer a little dirt.

Freybie loves my belly. Oh I'm glad someone does. She often will pull to lift up my shirt and when she sees my belly she smiles pokes it and then lays her sweet soft cheek on it. I love to stroke her downy hair as she presses that cheek against my belly sticking her finger in my bellybutton. I love the smell of their hair and skin like sunshine unleashed mixed with garden flowers and a touch of sour milk. Hmmmm, I miss that smell just thinking about it right now.

Speaking of their hair. These girls have hair of the most beautiful color and eyes to match. Their hair is such a lovely mocha brown with just a hint of red and it is feathery soft and just starting to curl at the ends, though sometimes it lays really flat against their heads and looks all mod. I've even had people ask me if I have cut their hair that way because it looks so styled. Their eyes are so lovely and soulful. This time a deeper more esspresso brown. At Amanda's wedding her friend Alex said that the girls have a wonderful chaotic beauty and I thought that was a perfect term for it. At a recent birthday party the girls were running around with just their broomstick skirts on bellies poking out (which no one could resist btw) and our friend Jen said they looked like little gypsies. It is true. Though neither Chris nor myself look particularly ethnic the unusual blend of our Czech and Cajun heritages has combined to form two very unique creatures. They are stout and compact too. You can see the earthy energy mixed with a ball of fire inside of them. So many other kids I"ve seen their age seem whispier, longer and leaner...though the girlcubs aren't uber chubby or short. It is just they seem ...well...yes "compact" is the right word for it.

They are talking more too babbling sentences that I can't quite make out, but the sounds are resembling english a little more. And they are continuing to say words though none with regularity. And they are understanding more too. I can ask them to go get those blocks over there and bring them to me and they will walk over and get the blocks. Chris and I say "Ok, it is time for a bath" and they both walk immediately to the bathroom and sometimes start trying to climb in while still clothed.

Oh and the lovely kisses are coming more too, especially from Ursa. She is understanding the closed mouth kiss thing better. There is nothing nicer than baby kisses especially when the babies are your own. A hug and kiss from one of the girlcubs just about sends my brain into delerium...I love it so much. They also have a few new favorites. Freya loves to get the big broom out and tries to sweep with it. She sort of rubs it back and forth on the ground. They also love their new Mardi Gras beads from Amanda's wedding. They string them around their neck especially Ursa taking them on and off clicking the beads together. Getting mad when the beads get tangled and she can't get them over her head properly. If feel like I should do more structured play with them but they seem pretty content to wander around the house picking up one thing after another playing with it for awhile and moving on. I keep track of what they are doing commenting on it to them and occasionally redirecting an action or chipping in to stack blocks with them or stir imaginary soup, but other than that I let them do what they want. I guess I shouldn't worry too much. You can tell these girls are well loved just by looking at them. They don't appear to be babies who are lacking in the parental attention department so I guess I'll ease up on myself. I know they will need more structured play as they get older, but for now they would rather eat the crayons than color with them.