Music To My Ears & TheOccasional Annoying Static

I think perhaps the most beautiful sound in my world right now is the full bodied, deep belly laughs of my children when they are playing nicely together. They really crack each other up and it is wonderful to hear. I try to keep them busy since it is summer and all. In the morning when I am trying to get up and get ready for the day, they come in looking for something to do. I send them off to make their beds. Annalina is on the top bunk right now and has TONS of stuffed critters keeping her company each night, most are the small beany babies she inherited from her big sister! So she goes in and throws them all on the floor and pulls up her blankets, positions her pillow and calls in the reinforcements-Joseph. He tosses each animal up to her for careful placement on the bed. They make it some kind of game and I don't think the rules are ever the same, but the animals go flying and the kids start giggling, then laughing, then deep belly laughs! One of these days I will have to sneak in with the video camera and try to capture the fun. They do this a lot, playing lots of different games together or trying to accomplish some chore I have given them. I send them off and before I know it they are playing and laughing together. I think of this as innocent fun and think its great they love each other enough to play so well together, however they may have figured out that if they come back too soon, I will just assign another chore. They really are pretty smart kids. Hey, whatever it takes, I am just glad they have great imaginations, kinda like each other and love to play.

That being said, I will also admit probably the worst possible sound is when they start to argue and fight, or just bicker quietly with one another. As Joseph is getting older, he does not always defer to big sis like he did when he was smaller, and she is none too happy about that. He has opinions and is not afraid to express them! Each night at bedtime they listen to music for a half hour. They take turns choosing what to listen to. The CD in their room right now has Enya, Disney music, Curious George Soundtrack, Coldplay and "My Music" which is what Joseph calls the CD we had on during his birth(Above The Clouds, even as a tiny baby this music would calm him). He still loves it. Anyway, they have usually been pretty good about respecting each others choices, but Joseph has taken to Cold Play since Adrienne listens to that in her car. It is a bit too lively for Annalina at bedtime, so she sometimes complains. The night before last, I just turned on Enya(Annalina's music of choice) so everyone would be happy. No one chose it, but me. Then last night Joseph took his turn and said he wanted Enya so Annalina's baby dolls could stay asleep. So sweet huh? This would have been what Annalina chose, but instead of being happy he was trying to think of her feelings, she got mad because she thought it was her turn and now she was missing her turn. I asked he what she wanted to listen to and she said, Enya. So there, everyone should be happy! But NO! Ahhhhhhh! Two minutes later and I hear arguing and go in. She is crying and says her life is ruined because she lost her turn -her words, not mine. EVEN THOUGH SHE WOULD HAVE CHOSEN THE SAME THING THAT WAS PLAYING!! So I turned off the music and told them to both go to sleep. This tell me that Annalina was desperately tired. They have been staying up later than during the school year, though only be a half hour to an hour, but they get up at around the same time, so they are short on sleep. I will have to be more careful to make sure they get the sleep they need.

Most of the times the kids are wonderful....to me, to each other, to everyone! I am so grateful for them and I deeply adore each and every one of them(yes, especially the teenagers). I am also glad things are not perfect all the time. When they argue, it gives me the opportunity to use and develop the ever important skill of patience. I think I am getting pretty good at it, except when I have not had enough sleep. I have to be more careful about that! I may be an adult, but I am not immune to the results of a late night and early morning!