I am so in love with my kids. They bring out every emotion possible. They drive me crazy. I get tired. I get exhausted. I get impatient. They make me smile, laugh. I am amazed. I am impressed. I am proud. I am in love. I keep trying to change my perspective in this season of life. Because my emotions are up and down, I want to maintain the joy that comes from the Lord. I want to be 100% for my kids as much as I can. I've read a lot of perspectives from mothers that talk about how it is impossible to "carpe diam." Seize the day! But, I think you have to do that! Ellie is now 2 years old. She is changing. She is learning to control her emotions, or rather I am trying to help and train her to. I am laughing to myself because when am I able to truly control my emotions, 100% of the time??? She is learning to express herself. She is learning how to be social. She is learning to be alive. It kind of makes me excited. It kind of makes me scared to death. However, God did give me the responsibility to do the best I can to raise her to love God and love people. BE AN EXAMPLE - its the best way. I am thinking forgiveness and grace is priority to teach her, and Gemma, and Calvin, and any others as well. Ellie is developing fast. Potty training may have failed, but she is excelling in everything else crazy fast! Her speech is growing and she is developing sentences and is able to communicate really well. She loves to run and jump and spin. She can color, play with playdough, thread beads. My favorite phrases - "See how it works" "No you do it (when she wants help)" "Bless you Mama" "Bless you sister" "May I have crackers" "thank you mama" She loves to help me put the dishes away and she loves to set the table. Discipline is often changing, as new things are always coming up. Finding out the heart of the matter is tricky. i wish I could read her heart like God knows our heart in order to be the perfect disciplinary. hmm....I need to pray for His wisdom in this.
Gemma is also growing at rapid rates! She isn't quite walking yet, but is so very close! She is talking a lot too, much quicker than Ellie had started. She can say dog, all done, mama, dada, night night, hat. She can sign more, all done, dog, bird, please, help, hat, drink, eat. Now, the thing about Gemma is she has a screech!! Boy is it loud! She screeches when she is happy, frustrated, sad, mad, excited. Oy, is it ear piercing!! Taylor and I think she might be a tad bit more emotional than Ellie, not bad at all! Just different. But now that we know her screeching is trying to tell us something, we have been working a lot more with teaching her signs, which she is picking up easier and using more often. She is a stinker, but goodness I love her so much. Gemma and I have actually had this past weekend to ourselves, well with Daddy too. My parents took Ellie to their house to spend with her for a few days. Its been good for us because Gemma has gotten to play with her toys without Ellie taking them away from her. It is kinda funny because every time that she does try to take something from her, Gemma uses that screech and holds on for dear life!
