Tuesday, March 26, 2013

Letters from Dad: #2

I always notice their feet first.

Whenever the kids start growing, that’s what I notice. First their feet, then their hands, and then how much taller they are.

One of the concerns that parents of multiples have is how can they tell their kids apart. I didn’t think it would be an issue. Then they were born. We had two kids each in two different rooms. Abby and Caleb were in one; Elijah and Elizabeth were in the other. From day one it was easy to tell the girls apart. Abby (ironically) was our chubby baby, and Elizabeth was our tiny little thing bursting with personality. The girls not only looked different but had night and day personalities. We would later find this to be literal as Abby is a night owl, and Elizabeth is a morning person.

The boys, however, looked very similar and had similar personalities. It was especially difficult that they were in separate rooms preventing us from laying them side by side. The only way to see them next to each other was via pictures. The major difference in the boys personalities was that Elijah had a terribly high threshold for pain and was very laid back while Caleb was high strung and had a lower pain tolerance. By the time, we brought them home, we had determined that the biggest physical difference in the boys was their head shape, their smiles, and a little angel kiss that Elijah had between his eyes.

The older the kids got the more we noticed the differences between them. The boys still look very similar  but they do have subtle differences, some might say only a parent could tell the difference. Elijah has a longer face whereas Caleb’s is rounder. The boys’ hair parts on different sides. It is difficult to put into words the differences between our children. Rebecca and I can look at them and know in an instant who they are. It seems the majority of people who see them on a semi-regular basis can also. The kids are extensions of us. Little bitty mirrors.

About a year ago, Bec did a blog post about them being mirrors of us. I think them being extensions of us is probably the reason why we can tell them apart so easily. Every day they grow a little bit. Sometimes it is physical like their feet growing or as exhibited when they climb over the side of the couch. Sometimes it is intellectual like when they say a new word.

But above all, hopefully we are setting an example and they are growing spiritually. Luckily, the kids have already learned to pray. I don’t know if they understand that we are talking to God, but they have learned to fold their hands and bow their heads and at the end they say “’’men”. The kids enjoy watching VeggieTales . I used to teach Sunday school once upon a time. The kids in there would talk about the shows, and I would think what they were describing (dancing vegetables) was terrifying, but really they aren’t bad at all. (side note: Becca and I find the muppets terrifying. That being said I LOVE THE MUPPETS. Got to face down your fears you know.)

I hope that we are setting a good example for them and encouraging them to grow in all matters. On Sundays, since we are lockdown, we watch LifeChurch. The kids like it too. I used to read the Bible to them every night but once they started getting mobile and ripping the pages out, I slowed down on that. I really need to be a better example and get back to doing that. The responsibility for my family’s spiritual health lies with me.  I can only pray that I am leading them down the right path. God be with us all.

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6 comments:

  1. You are on the right path! I'm so thankful they have you and Becca as their parents! Love you!

    Mama

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    1. I agree! I'm so thankful that they have Sean as their Daddy too! :)

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  2. Sean... you just wait till they get a little older and your out and about and you here the words.. "I have to go potty...me too, me too..." And your just hoping the bathroom/stall is big enough for 4 plus you. Just the other day we were out and the kids pulled that on me, I bet every one was amazed at all the kids going into the bathroom and all coming out just mins later after all 4 had gone and their hands washed, etc.

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    1. Hmm...your story definitely makes diapers sound easier! :)

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  3. It's amazing how much are children can mirror us! I am secertly very thankful for not having multiples, every femal in my family from my great grandmother till now (and *shudder* future grandchildren possibly) all look exactly alike until about 5 years of age. If it wasn't for the age of photos when we line them up you can't tell one from the other, it is eerily scary.

    not as scary as muppets though, those things scare the daylights out of me.

    You sound like you are doing an amazing job as their father though!!

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    1. Sean is a great father (and a great husband too, I might add!)! Thanks for leaving the encouraging comment for him. He always reads the comments that are left! :)

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