It was bound to happen. And it did. It's too hard for Mommy to get our names right every time she talks to us, so instead, Daddy has dubbed the three sisters "KAveReese". It works, too. A perfect mash-up.Although it's hard to keep our names straight, God saw fit to give us each very different personalities, needs, and for now... worlds.
Take, for example, Avery. Her world right now consists of new friends, sight words, homework and new academic knowledge. The hat Mommy wears most often with Avery is Support. Support in volunteering at the school, helping with homework, and giving long hugs when Avery sometimes needs to feel safe and child-like in the midst of her big-girl world.
Avery keeps Mommy and Daddy on their toes with her quick wit, perceptive judgments and tender heart. Yesterday I heard her tell Mommy, "Mommy, I'm ready to start the ball."
"What ball?"
"You know, Mom, the ball."
..."Avery, I have no idea what you're talking about. Can you use different words to help me understand?"
"Mooooom. The ball. Like the soccer ball or the other kinds of ball."
Last night when we were setting out our clothes, Mommy found bobby pins and rubber bands lined up to spell "Love". And, as she tells us often, "Love is love. That means I love you more than love." Mommy and Daddy have taken to using her phrase. After all, love IS love.
For my part, Mommy wears her most often-used hat: Pre-School Mom. These years are the ones she's been Mom through most, and I fill her days with my world of pre-school, playgroup, gymnastics, and constant questions. Although Mom has done pre-school before, my pre-school world is all about squeaks, chirps, aggressive love for the baby, silliness, pushing boundaries and gentle redirection. I can't handle conflict (which comes up a lot with a strong willed big sister!), I can't handle stern words, and I don't like pressure. I either revert to silliness or I break down and cry until I've been held, comforted, and reassured. There's lots of hugging going around these days and I want in on as much of it as I can get! (Mom says I am not allowed to mislead: I still disobey plenty, it's just in a quieter, silent-stubborn way...)
Ree-Ree's world is not even on the same plane as our two worlds. Ree's world is about discovering her feet, batting objects with her hands, smiling, cooing, giggling and rolling. She doesn't like the car seat or the stroller and so Mom's Reese-hat is Carrier. Reese is mostly happy and only cries when she gets way too tired... or when I lay on her or poke her. Mom's not such a fan of my love when it wakes her up (always) or makes her cry (usually), but that Reese is just so chubby and happy that it's hard to resist. I call Reese Ree-Ree or Ree, Avery calls her Reesie Poo, Daddy calls her Reesie and Mommy calls her That Baby (as in, "I'm just going to eat That Baby up!"). Whatever we call her, she smiles and acts like she's just so thankful to be in our lives.
It's a good thing that we are all in such vastly different worlds. Mom says she's convinced that each of us doing different things and needing different types of love right now will help her rememberus individually once we're grown. What can I say? We aim to please!
Love,
Kate "Kavereese" McClinton
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