Emoting without Filters

Do your children ever do things that you wish desperately you could do too? The other day we called Isaac in from playing outside to wash up and eat dinner. The was the inevitable guttural groans. His entire body turned into a limp noodle as he staggered into the house like a drunkard moaning, "I don't want to! "Watching him I just wondered what he would do if one day they asked what was I cooking for dinner only to see me collapse on the floor in a heap and yell, "I don't want to!"

Keila's reactions to Isaac's outburst always amaze me. It's one of two, depending on our moods. If we seem tolerably happy then she is sure to begin her own whining and crying, begging to be held as if to say, "He's not the only one around here." On the other hand, if she know Mama and Baba are tired, she seems to get extra perky and cute, trying to help 'set the table' and wash her hands knowing it was best to get out of the line of fire because in a few minutes someone would be bound to explode. How in the world did she learn to be so psychologically savvy?

In the same way that they don't filter their negative emotions, their positive emotions are so genuine and real that it never fails to warm my heart. The other day Keila slipped on the tile and both Isaac and I heard the thud of a head hitting the corner of a wall. It was the shock and intense pain that had Keila silently heaving tears. The dam broke and a wail like a siren sounded along with a gently raised welt. I was holding Keila trying to comfort her but it was Isaac who knew the trick. He had ran to get Keila's favorite blanket and was wrapping it around her shoulders say,"Oh, poor, poor Keila. You're okay. You're tougher than tough. I'll give loves so you feel better." And then he hugged, kissed and rocked her until the crying died down and he could make her giggle again. She in turn does the same thing for him when he's hurt, though not with the finesse he has, but loads him down with all the toys she can find and smothers him with hugs and kisses.

The best was the other day as we drove the 30 mins back from Stillman Train park. Isaac had insisted on hold hands with Keila on the drive home and she could hardly keep her eyelids open for the all the excitement of the morning. She'd doze off and when Isaac discovered this, he'd give her a gentle tug and say, "Not yet, bug-bug stay awake with me!" She turn to him with her puffy eyes and give a sleepy smile and proceed to doze again. This went on until we were five minutes of home (this scenario sound familiar) when she became so dead to the world that nothing could wake her. Isaac was exasperated with his efforts and yell,"Oh man!" I asked him why he wanted Keila awake and he said, "Sometimes I like Keila, sometimes I love her, but sometimes I don't. 'Specially when she doesn't listen to me! It's boring when Keila's not awake!"



Here's Isaac with his new bike (how I LOVE Craigslist!) Keila's ready to jump on herself!


Here they are at a Valentine's Day party where Keila is totally absorbed by the icing of the cupcake. She worships the ground that big brother walks on ... after all, he can do so much!


Keila was squealing with delight at this slide. She must have gone down it 40 times. Sometimes I wish I could squeal with that same abandon and not have the world look at me as if I'd been a stuck pig!