Thank You - cuz that's manners

I love my children equally but the things I love about them are so different. I love Carsyn's strong will and feistiness, the fact that I can already put her hair in pigtails, her contagious smile, her chubby legs, the way she smells, the way she belly laughs when Camden dances for her, her love affair with all things cheese, the fact that I have 8 (yes 8!) sippy cups - all of which she hates and smashes on her tray or the floor, but mostly....the way she loves me. Even though she is only 11 months old, I feel like my life was not really whole until she entered it, and I am so thankful that I didn't give up hope when it looked like another baby was not in the cards for us.

I don't even know where to start about Camden. I love that she is sitting on the couch right now in her pajamas and the high heeled sandals she got today, the fact that when we registered her for the "Fun Run" at school - she automatically wrote Marty's name down as her parent, the way she watches herself in the mirror when she talks on the phone. I love that she takes 40 minute showers if you'd let her, that she would do just about anything for a breakfast involving donuts... But what I love most about Camden is that she is the most kind, gentle soul. Truly. She has the gift of empathy, and I love that about her. On the 100th day of school, the kids had to write about what they would buy if they had 100 dollars. Last year she said a minivan! This year it was blankets for the babies in Haiti who might not have any now. (I almost cried - especially because we hadn't talked to her about Haiti). We were watching the news about the earthquake in Chili, and she asked Marty if God makes rain and thunder and earthquakes. When he said yes, she said, "Why does he do that, daddy? If it hurts people." How do you explain that question to a 7 year old when most grown ups don't understand....??? After that, she was flipping through a Company Kids magazine and asked me if she and Carsyn could share a room. She was picking out which bed she would have and which one would be Carsyn's. I told her when she gets a bit older, she won't want to share a room, and she looked at me so innocently and just asked, "Why, mommy?" As if she could not imagine any reason in the world that she would not want to share a room with her sister. Give her a few years, and she will figure that out, but for now....I am a proud Momma.

Now those of you who know Cam know that she has a funny /sassy side that comes out from time to time. So here is my favorite story from the week. Again, her school is doing a Fun Run fundraiser, and they have to try and raise money for the laps they run. She is telling me about what you are supposed to say when you ask someone to pledge, and the conversation goes like this.... "Mommy, you tell them they can pledge 1 dollar a lap, 2 dollars a lap, 5 dollars a lap, or any amount that they choose. If they say they will only give you 50 cents, Mommy, you do NOT say WHAT?!? I am NOT walking all that laps for 50 cents. You just say thank you cuz that's manners."