through their eyes...

As I raise my kids, sometimes I find it best to try to see the world through their eyes. It makes my life easier.

Take for instance these eyes...

I walked into my bedroom last week and discovered Amanda sitting in the middle of a huge pile of Kleenex. She had the box in her lap and was pulling them out one at a time. I stuffed all of the stray tissues back in the box and am frustrated now every time I try to pull out one and get a whole wad.

But looking through her eyes, I see something wonderful and magical. I mean how exciting to pull one and another magically appears in it's place! Thinking this way almost makes me what to get a whole box of Kleenex just for myself to pull!


...and these superhero eyes are full of stories.


Andrew's Cici went on vacation (i.e. time out) yesterday because he somehow was caught in a crystal candlestick on our mantel. We found Andrew trying to pull him down (and pull down the candlestick and a picture frame in the process.) Andrew was distraught, and it was my job to console him.

I sat down to find out what happened and he launched into a great story about how his Scarfy is taller than Cici, but she does not like to be flung. But, Cici thinks it is great fun and often gets into trouble doing naughty things. He also proceeded to tell me about how his elephant Gerald does not like to be thrown.

Seeing the world through his eyes, softened my view of the situation, although Cici did not come out of time out until bedtime. I hope Andrew now understands that none of his "friends" like to be thrown or slung.

These eyes are older...


and I don't need to work as hard to see the world as they see it. It makes me sad that his eyes are starting to see the world more like mine. But, there are times when I see glimpses of the little eyes.

The boys know they must ask for "building permits" to move the cushions to build forts. When they get permission to build, their imagination goes wild. I love to hear Scott directing the building of a ship or an underground secret tunnel. He speaks with such imagination ("We are in a secret underground tunnel...), but also with such precision (..."mold is everywhere, but don't worry, we have oxygen masks on, so we breathe safe air.)