The Things Kids Do....

I wanted to share a couple hilarious pictures of the kiddos that I took recently.  Each of them speaks volumes about the stage of life our family is in....so fun, yet so unpredictable!  This first picture is of Cole sitting next to the exersaucer.  There are a few things you need to notice about this picture:
1)  the pile of toys on the floor next to him.
2)  the ribbons that used to be attaching the toys to the exersaucer. 
3)  the fact that the toys are no longer attached to the exersaucer.

Now, what you DON'T see in this picture is the pair of SCISSORS that Cole used to CUT every toy off of the exersaucer!  Even as I'm typing this I cannot believe he did this.  Rees came running in the house screaming "hurry, hurry, look what Coley did!" Well, when we hear that, we just never know what we're going to find.  Chad and I just stood in disbelief not knowing whether to laugh or cry.  We both just shook our heads and said we just can't believe the things kids do!  

We definitely learned our lesson that a 3 year old cannot be trusted alone with a pair of scissors or even a crayon for that matter!  We have found Cole's "scribbles" all around the house (praise God for the Magic Eraser).  Not long after the "scissors" incident,Cole announced to me that he had made a hook to hang his gold medal on.  I guess I should add that his "gold medal" is a plastic medal hanging on a red, white, and blue ribbon that Cole wears EVERY DAY!  Seriously, he puts it on the second he gets out of bed!  There is no particular sentiment attached to it, I just think he likes the idea of being a star :)  So back to the hook...he brought me in his room and showed me where he had taken a hammer and hammered a thumb tack right into the front of his wooden dresser!  Again, I just shook my head in disbelief of the things kids do.

The second picture is of my little princess Selah Belle.  She is 17 months old, and every day I am amazed at the things she does! I mean really, nobody taught her how to get ready to go shopping, she just knows!  It really is fascinating.  She has every detail covered....the shoes (although one vanished somewhere), the glasses, the purse, the cart, and the baby in the cart.  When I see her imitate me, I am reminded of the sobering thought she is observing and imitating everything I do!  Yes, this is totally cute, but is also a little scary.  The prayer that comes to mind is Lord, let me be the kind of Mommy that I want her to become.  What an awesome responsibility we have as parents to raise these little ones!  I want to challenge myself with this question everyday: Are my attitudes and behaviors ones that I want my children imitating?  Any area that I answer "no" is an area that I must bring before the Lord and allow him to change my heart and refine me.  This parenting thing is a journey, and as much as my children are a work in progress, I am a work in progress! Oh, and it's ok to laugh at the things kids do :)