Perfect Imperfection

I love my children.  I love my children unconditionally.  I love so many of the little things that make them who they are.  But at each stage of childhood, there just seem to be things that I do not love.  My kids know that I do not love the tattling or arguing or drama or not listening or crying for no reason that seem to happen fairly often around our house.  There are many things about my kids that I love, and then there are those things that I just don't.

I love how Staley is so sure of herself.  I love how she makes friends wherever she goes.  I love how she loves to help around the house and with her little brother and sister.  I love her big imagination, her ability to entertain herself, and her love of reading.  I love her caring nature and how in-tune she is to how others are feeling.  I love her big heart and her thoughtfulness.

I do not love how slow Staley is to get things done.  I do not love how she has been talking in a baby voice and putting her fingers in her mouth and acting shy around people.  I do not love how Staley insists on calling her sister Addie, and how I know she's doing it because she knows that we don't want her to.  I do not love how Staley will sometimes mope and sulk when people don't want to play how she wants them to play. 

But I sure do love this girl!

I love how Adelie is so enthusiastic about life.  I love the cute way she talks.  I love how she is very sweet about giving people compliments.  I love how she is comfortable around people and makes friends easily.  I love how she is so easy-going, shares so nicely, and is generally happy to follow along with Staley's plans.  I love how she gets so excited about doing 'big girl' things like wearing underpants, using "spitty toothpaste", drinking from a cup without a lid, and going to Sunday School.  I love her big hugs and sweet kisses.

I do not love how Adelie is constantly moving and climbing and hanging on us and has a hard time keeping her hands to herself.  I do not love how she does things like spreading her yogurt all over herself or putting things in her mouth or climbing on things, just to get a reaction from us.  I do not love how she generally resists using the potty when we ask her to, even when we know she needs to go.  I do not love how Adelie is prone to her toddler tears over ridiculous things.

But I sure do love this girl!

 

I love Briggs' big smile that lights up his face.  I love when he wakes up in the morning squealing and talking and happy.  I love how Briggs just loves his sisters, and will giggle and get so excited about seeing them.  I love how Briggs is so content to hang out in his Baby K'tan, never getting fussy about being on an outing with his family.  I love how Briggs nestles in right under my chin when I hold him.

I do not love how Briggs still wakes up regularly through the night, every night.  I do not love how he continues to spit up all over everyone and everything.  I do not love how Briggs will throw a massive screaming, crying fit when we put him down and he wants to be held...and how it immediately stops as soon as you pick him up. 

But I sure do love this boy!

 

I love my kids.  My heart is full every time I think about them.  I love them with every ounce of my being and can't imagine loving them anymore than I do right now.  But my kids are not perfect.  There are things about them right now that I do not love.  That works well, because I am definitely not perfect either.  And I sure do love my perfectly imperfect family.