Fullness of Joy!: The Organized Child and the Free-Spirited Child

One of the things I enjoy about being a mom is seeing the different personalities my children have. I don't love one personality over another. I love them both and love them for completely different reasons. I am praying that all of my kids will use their "strengths" for the Lord. As they grow I want to find ways to help them know how to use those gifts whether it be showing love to others through hugs (Madison) or making something for someone (Ethan).

Ethan's handy work

Yesterday I bought a little $5 tea set for Maddie. Before I knew it I came out to the picnic table and saw every cup matched and sitting on top of its coordinating plate. Everything was lined up perfectly, and in a very slight curve with the little teapot at the end. I knew this was the work of my 2 year old, Ethan. I don't think he has ever seen a full tea set, and when I poured the contents of the tea set all over the picnic table (for Madison) I didn't have time to show the kids what to do with it. He just seemed to know and came up with matching all the cups and plates and lining it all up on his own. He also had fun stacking all the plates and so on. He never ceases to amaze me with his love for everything neat and orderly. This is the same 2 year old that asks for his bed sheets to be changed because there is a little spot on them! Today he got so frustrated and upset--come to find out- it was over not being able to throw all of the crumbs from his pop tart away. (I had placed the trash can on the kitchen counter, and he couldn't reach it.) Ethan's speech is still hard for me to understand, and for the life of me I couldn't figure out what was wrong! I should have known it was over those crumbs. He has an exact way of doing everything! One of the really great things about that is that I can count on him to do a good job of what he does do. If I ask him to watch baby and take care of her then he will do everything in his power to take care of her and keep her from crying.--Great!

This girl knows how to enjoy food!

Sometimes when I look at Maddie (my 1 and a half year old) and see her messiness and total obliviousness to order I can't help but find the extreme opposites of both children so funny! Madison has no exact way of doing anything. She is my "happy, go-lucky" girl. Since she started eating food on her own she would just enjoy the WHOLE experience. Food is always all over her and wherever she is sitting! Most of the time it is not intentional, but she just doesn't care about trying to be clean :) She does not like taking time to get sticky fingers and face cleaned either. (VERY different than my oldest child who eats so cleanly, and has always hated having sticky fingers!) She just generally enjoys whatever we do, and loves to suck her thumb and be cuddled, also. The older she gets the more she is becoming my little social bug! She loves to charm anyone in the store with a big, coy smile :)