Kids Make Me Smile

Kids are hilarious.

I have had the great privilege to spend a lot of quality time with my cousin's kids this week (aka: what felt like the busiest week of my life), and it was pretty amazing. It was boy central, but that's okay. They're all pretty swell, and it's a few years before they start to smell really bad.

They are five, eight, and nine. The nine year old is the quiet one. He's thoughtful and kind. He is gentle, and a little more introverted than the other two. He is a great big brother, and I think this will only become more apparent as he gets older. He is lovely to talk with and is so calm and chill. He was like this as a baby, which is why they decided to give the green light for baby number two.

The eight year old is a HAM. He is hilarious. We spent a solid hour today basically bullshitting each other. It entertained me to no end. He is blonde and outgoing and exuberant, and I kind of feel like he'll eventually be a real ladies man, because us ladies like ourselves someone who can make us laugh. Oh, and he thinks everything is "super creepy". He straight up says the darndest things.

The youngest is the giggliest little animal I have ever met. I can't entirely understand everything that he is saying to me because he is usually giggling it. He is super cute and kind of a pest to the middle brother (poke! He started it!), but he's really fun and you can just tell he loves his older bros SO much. He is super reluctant to give me hugs, but since I am very insistent and act super sad when he says no, he comes and gives me one because he doesn't like me to be sad.

Being a parent looks exhausting, but it definitely seems like it does have its rewards in the shape of these funny moments with each of these distinct personalities. I know it must get to the point where you feel like locking them all in cupboards with their iPads to keep them quiet, but it really does seem like yesterday where they were actually just wee babies and now they're little people, with big personalities.

I'm pretty sure I had the 8 year old convinced that I am a spy and my weapon of choice is throwing stars. And then I sung my face off in the car ride home, and basically made him admit that I melted his face off with my sweet vocals. It's great when kids agree with you.

A couple of other cousin's kids made brief appearances this week too. A 3 year old who is as tall as a 5 year old, and just as well spoken, who is ridiculously cute and polite and LOVES HUGS!!!, stole my heart a little. Big blue eyes and a love of hugs. Done!

And the littlest cousin of all, the 11 month old baby B, who is learning how to unconventionally crawl by sitting and dragging his butt, is oh so serious but when he smiles it's like your heart is made of rainbows and kittens. He's just ridiculously cute.

I'm glad I took this week off. I need a holiday.