Rascal

John and I are anxiously awaiting the arrival of #3. It has been 4 years now since doing the baby thing so we are a little nervous. Just today watching my 4 and 6 year old play on the playground...I was thinking about how easy they are. Me sitting on a bench while they played by themselves for hours. Emily is a very precautious girl, fearful at times to some extent. She is shy and timid and sensative. She is very obedient and it does not take much discipline to make her understand who is boss. She is actually a lot like me when I was a little girl (at least how I view myself). She cares about others feelings, wants to do the right thing, and does not break rules. John and I joke about how she keeps us on track...once in the mall when J.D. was still in a stroller, John was going to do like most dads do and try the escalator with the stroller. She saw the sign that said NO Strollers. Well she would not go with us down the escalator for fear that we would get in trouble. Another similar story....her two best friends have a trampoline and she was over playing. The trampoline sign on the outside said no more than two people on at once. Her friends' father is a deputy. I told her that it was o.k. to go on, just be careful....she asked is Mr. Paul going to be mad if we are all three on the trampoline. She actually wanted to wait until he got home to ask his permission.

Now J.D. is a little different. He is quiet and very obedient but has a stubborn streak. He is a little more daring than Emily and likes to try new things. He can and will push me especially but he does well with words of affirmation and seeks to please so he can receive praise. He also right now wants to do and be everything like Emily so he follows her direction for the most part. He is so sweet and lovable and has been a fairly easy toddler. He loves just spending "Boy" time with John so as long as he is hanging out with Daddy he is happy.

They both were pretty good sleepers and nursed well. I guess after the kind of pregnancies I have, the baby stage seems easy. I just feel so much better when that baby is out of me! They for the most part potty trained easily, slept in their own beds, and have not been wild children. Now I know I forget some of the bad as most parents do.

John said the other day, wouldn't it be fun if the third one is kind of a RASCAL...you know a different personality than the other two, maybe a little daring, or spunky...."What? Do you know what you are asking for?", I replied. I have this vision of a crazy little red headed wild girl running around...! Genetics and personalities are so interesting to me. I wonder a lot and have talked to friends about what makes our children the way they are. John's Grandfather's wife said to us recently that calm parents make for calm children. John and I have been called relaxed or calm by several, even our pediatrician who asked if we had older children at one of Emily's first baby appts with him. When we said no, he said we were unusually mellow for first time parents. I always thought it was our medical background. My mom sometimes tells us we are too calm...I like to think it is our way of discipline, team work, and scheduling that makes life go a little easier. Now some days I feel like I could pull my hair out but most days are pretty smooth....so we will see how it is after our little "rascal" is born......oh my what has he asked for!!!!