"If I'm a good girl......."

My daughter said something this morning that I've been hearing a lot lately. We're driving down the road headed home and she said, " Hey Mom, maybe if I'm a really good girl I could get some diving sticks. I really just want them to play with in the pool." (we live 4 houses down from the neighborhood pool) And without even thinking I gave her my normal response, " We'll see sweetie." She never says anything but I'm sure she realizes that this most likely means no.


I have 3 kids:



My bear is five and she is the sweetest thing you will ever meet. She loves everyone and just wants you to love her back. She is my biggest helper and is always looking for praise and some snuggles. She loves to be challenged and to lead. Her sister thinks she is the most amazing person there ever was and just wants to be in her presence. And bear is very patient with her little sissy (most of the time). She loves computer games and anything pretend. She has a great imagination and honestly could probably take over the house at 5 and run it more efficiently than I do! (if only she could reach the juice in our side by side fridge). She loves to swim with her floaties, but is very hesitant to want to learn how to swim without them. I guess she just figures if it works why mess with it. She will patiently wait in her swimming suit all day for me to say, "Time to go to the pool!" And she loves the Lord and has a passion for Him already at 5, and appreciates the smallest of his creations (flowers, bugs, butterflies...)

My bug just turned three and she is all spunk and then some. She is going a million miles an hour all day until she crashes. She pretty much argues with everything unless she's in the mood to cooperate. But she can be the most tender thing and is such a Mama's girl. So much so that even when I am standing right in front of her she says "I just want my mama" I often ask her, "Where does she live? Do you need me to call her?" And I usually at least get a smile with that. She loves donuts with a passion you rarely see in small children. She loves her blankees and will not sleep with out them. And yes that's blankees plural. When she was 18 months old I had a shower gift for a friend wrapped up and bug decided that it was for her. Thus the "butterfly blankee" (or "buttafy bankee" back then) was born. Then a few months later we had a crisis when the butterfly blankee was left at wal-mart so I scrambled and created the "dot-dot blankee." (Yes created.....I sew and had the fabric laying around) She is so full of joy and life you see it sparkle in her beautiful brown eyes.



Then there is my youngest, brother, aka buba. He is almost 16 months old and still refuses to walk. (although my girls were both the same way) He will not be pushed into anything he does not want to do. He is loud.....and I mean like the neighbors 2 houses down can hear him when all our doors and windows are shut. He is all boy (except when he lovingly plays with his sisters babies) and has an ocd-like obsession with Balls. He loves anything round and will ritually chant ba...ba...ba. He sleeps with his ball, he eats with his ball, he plays with his ball. I love every little inch of him and he loves to be loved like his oldest sister. He makes the cutest expressions I have ever seen and is such a mama's boy. All he has to is smile at me and my heart melts.

Now back to my story.....I sat driving home and realized that my kids have done without for so long. I remember when I would go and drop $100 on Bear....and not even blink. That was a really long time ago. After driving a while I asked my little bear, "You know you're a good girl even if Mommy can't get you diving sticks this time at the store right?" "Yeah Mom I know because I'm always a good girl" she responded. Everything in me ached. I want to be able to give her the world. I want to be able to give all my kids the world. I just hope they know that. If I had my way I would give them everything they wanted because they deserve it. They are such amazing kids and I love them with every ounce of my being. Needless to say that day at the store, I skipped a few items that we needed and made due so that I could by my good girl her diving sticks.