monday

Chip tells me that I'm doing a good job, maintaining the energy, stepping in to referee the squabbles, and generally keeping them both busy.


Yesterday morning was an exercise in controlled chaos with both girls running full speed up and down the hallway screaming their blessed heads off for a good twenty minutes. I watched from the sidelines, quietly sipping a tall glass of water and marveling over my calm despite any help from prescription drugs or otherwise. This had quieted somewhat by lunchtime, with each of us finding some sense of balance--- but it's been interesting to observe each of the girl's personalities surface. And I'm taking notes in my head, trying to figure out the best ways I can help each of the girls enjoy this week.

But I'm still formulating those thoughts, not ready to talk about them yet - especially when it comes to telling you in a sentence or two who these little beings are: complex and interesting, nuance on top of the slightest hint of shadow.

One moment there was joy sparking between them, their eyes alight and smiles stretched wide. The next minute one was so quiet, thinking hard as she stacked blocks quietly by the table--- the other had escaped onto the stairs, was talking (loudly) to us both, that she "needed a minute, a minute to MYSELF---please do not come up here, DO NOT COME UP HERE". So we didn't. We ate goldfish crackers and waited for signs of life to emerge from the upper level. Eventually Chip coaxed her downstairs with a promise of dinner and a rousing after-dinner game of soccer.

So it went, so it goes, and so it will today.

Wish us luck.



What do you do to balance different personalities?