What they Share

One morning last week Nick went upstairs to wake the kids for school. When he got upstairs he found Isabelle's bed empty and both of the kids in Henry's bed. They had slept in the same bed all night even though they share a room where their beds are just feet away from one another. We remain unsure as to why they decided to sleep in the same bed, but it is clear they just love each other. This got me thinking of the ways they are similar since I spent last week focusing on their differences. 

Some of the ways Henry and Isabelle are similar:

1. They each really enjoy books. While they often have different topics of interest, their love for books is the same. They often act out scenes as Jack and Annie from the Magic Treehouse books. I pretty much love when they do this as it combines literacy with imagination in such a fun way. 

2. Henry and Isabelle share an unwavering love for Nick. They are truly thrilled each night when he gets home. When they greet him you would think he had been gone for days. They fight for the first moments of attention from Nick, but he always finds a balance and a way to make them both feel special. 

3. Isabelle and Henry love music and love to dance. Henry is more of a The Clash, Black Keys and Johnny Cash kind of kid. Whereas Isabelle is all about Arctic Monkeys, Rod Stewart and a touch of hip hop. I hope they never lose their interest in music as it is so important. Henry told me he is ready to take up guitar so he will start lessons this spring. I wonder what will capture Isabelle's interest? 

4. I know I'm their mom and maybe a touch bias, but Henry and Isabelle's eyes and smiles make every fight, fit and struggle worth the effort. They have an element of sweetness that can really make my day. 

5. Both kids have pretty extreme tempers. I'm not sure where they picked up on this quality because I am always SUPER calm. Just this morning Isabelle told me I was the meanest mom ever because I said if she wanted to change costumes for the 16th time she would have to do it on her own. She then screamed and cried for 21 minutes. I'm the worst!

I guess what I'm trying to get at in these last three posts is that I really appreciate the uniqueness of my children as well as the many traits they share. I really appreciate their closeness and how much they truly care for each other. I admire how creative they are, how free spirited they are, how they honestly believe Nick and I would not lead them astray, and just how intelligent they are in their own individual ways. I know there will come a time when they will not want to spend every minute together, share a room, and play Jack and Annie, but I'm going to go ahead and savor the moments and find joy in the giggles I hear coming from the next room. 

--maggie