Princesses

Anastasia and Amelia love to watch Enchanted. They call it "Ah-Ah" because of the little song she sings to bring the animal helpers. It inspires them to be beautiful.

They are absolute princesses--not Divas. They love to wear dresses and spin. At the same time, they love to go with me to the gym and mimic the exercises they have observed. Anastasia loves basketball and being pushed on the swings. Amelia likes to be in control of the swing situation and just flies on her belly. They are exceptionally conversational.

Amelia loves hiding. She sits in the corner of our sectional with a billow on top of her and waits quietly for me to pass by. She ran off at half-price books yesterday (in her squeaky shoes, so I knew where she headed) and stood quietly in the corner of the bookshelves waiting for me to find her. Squeal and giggle.

They have also learned by the example of many siblings and parents how to argue, correct one another, and compete with one another. "My mom!" "No, My mom!" Amelia is the reasonable one when I suggest that she let sister have something in exchange for something else or to share.

They love their other siblings. Claire is a safe haven for them. They ask about the kids when they are at school, and they are so excited when Mikey, Lexi, ad Emylie are here as well. Everyone gets a little tired of them because of the things they break, get into, or run off to, but they are so ridiculously loved. I am fortunate to have such great helpers.

Since Andrew got a motorcycle for his birthday, Mikey felt he had to have one, but we expected and planned for that. We had Mikey's birthday party this weekend even though it is well over a week before his birthday because we got the bike and we could not keep it from him any longer--and he won't be here on his birthday.

Mikey did fine the first time he got on the bike (even though it is huge compared to Andrew's)--a YZ125 but the mud was very slippery and he tipped and burned his pant leg on the engine. After that he was very spooked and didn't want to get back on. With the threat of having the bike put on Craigslist if he did not get back on, he persevered. Lexi and Claire, th0ugh, were the go-getters with it.

I tried to sit around all day nursing a calf injury. They babies both leaned out the side of the shopping cart while I had my back turned to them. They tipped it over and I caught it with the back of my knee. Then Mike went and caught the back of his leg on the footpegs (while wearing shorts) of the motorcycle while trying to start it. And now we know clearly, and without question, who has the higher pain tolerance.

Raising a blended family has been a tremendous challenge, but Mike and I have come such a long way with building relationships and how we deal with situations and each other. We still have a lot more that needs to progress, but we will not be running out of room to grow any time soon.