Pigs and Monkeys

This is a post about my kids.  I call them monkeys.  I don't think that affectionate term is all that uncommon to use for kids.  After all, they climb, screech, hang on us...all the things we think are funny and cute about monkeys.  Unfortunately they're not always the things we love about our kids.  (shrug)

I don't think we started using "monkeys" until after Tyler was born, and in all honesty, it fits him best.  They all like to climb and screech and hang on me, but Tyler is a monkey.  All he's missing is the tail. 

Anyway, my monkeys...I could probably write for days and days about them.  Sometimes they say or do such silly things or frustrating things or odd things.  They're the best (and sometimes worst) entertainment out there! 

Yesterday I was talking to my sister, Mary, and said something I thought was pretty clever.  I was sharing something about Jace.  I don't even remember what now, but I said, "When he's not frustrating me to the point of tears, he makes me smile."  That about sums up our current relationship.  He's the oldest, at seven years old, and not only smart but a smart ass too, if you'll excuse my language.  But we're working through it...one day at a time, and sometimes one tense moment at a time. 

I'm sure I was telling Mary about whatever happened yesterday morning.  I can't remember what it was, but I recall that I was VERY frustrated with Jace and had yelled at him for something.  Minutes later he came up to tell me something he was really excited about it.  I remember wondering how he could move on so quickly.  He'd been crying five minutes earlier.  I'd been on the verge of tears myself and now I wanted to grit my teeth and tell him to go away and leave me alone.  But he just wanted to share something with me.  I want to learn how to flip that switch and be excited with and for him once the tense moments have passed.  I'm working on it.  Yesterday I did well.  I hugged him and listened to his joy and let him skip away on his own accord.  I was still irritated, but I was still able to separate the two situations.  Not bad...but I'll keep on it.

Today we had a really rough morning, but the afternoon went swimmingly, so maybe I'm figuring it out...I just wish we could skip the rough spots.

Hmmm...anyway...the other monkeys are in the news today too.  Gracie is still loving gymnastics.  (By the way, Jace starts karate tomorrow and couldn't be more excited about it!)  She's doing pretty well too.  And she's taken to dressing like a pop star at home, dark shades and all, and entertaining us.  She's been spelling words with her eyes closed too.  I guess that's to prove she knows how they're spelled.  It's pretty funny, though. 

And, Tyler...he's a gem.  He's giggly and wiggly and picks on Jace and Gracie like any little brother should.  Scott and I can't get over how many times one of them comes to us crying because, "Tyler hit/threw something at/was mean to me!"  He's apparently a little tyrant, when he's not being cute.  And tonight we found a new talent of his...tossing pigs. 

Have you ever played Pass The Pigs?  It's a great little game with two little pigs figures that you toss up and get points for how they land.  We played today.  Jace and Gracie worked on their math and we all had fun tossing pigs around.  And Tyler won.  He got 87 points.  Jace and I ended with zero and Gracie was in second place, with 25 point.  So, watch out for our littlest monkey...he's quite the pig tosser!