My BRILLIANT babes

"Please wiwwull you get dat fohwer me Santa Clause?" These words roll off of the lips of my sweet Addie several times a day and I can't help but hope that Santa pulls through for her. I mean, how could he resist those enormous blue eyes and that sweet little voice? Of course at THIS rate, there would be no room left for actual HUMAN BEINGS in our home if she got EVERYTHING she asked for this Christmas, but it is REALLY hard to say no to that face. And she knows it. And she plays it. Hard. The thing is, I KNOW she is playing me AND I DON'T CARE! The other two were always too lazy to even bother with "playing" me, so I take WHATEVER sweet Addison gives me, simply beecause she is taking the time to give it to me. Not the best parenting, I know, but again--I DON'T CARE. The one who is probably going to suffer the most because of this..."parenting style" is Addie, but I just cannot help myself. I think it's because I tried to do everything the "right" way (as if there IS a "right" way) with the other two, not worrying about my children "liking" me and saying "no" like it was my job (and I know it WAS my job, but I REALLY started to feel like it was the ONLY word I knew--and so did my children!). Then sweet Addie came along. Sweet Addie with her singsong voice and love of everyone. Sweet Addie who, loves me unconditionally--not that the other two don't--they are just more eager to POINT OUT the conditions than she is. Sweet Addie who, from the time she was two informed me (with a sweet-Addie hug) that "I dust WUUUUV Dada most, Momma," and it STILL makes my heart melt--even though I am CLEARLY her second choice (maybe even third or fourth if we count Barney or her Uggie (blanket). I don't believe in "favorites," I do believe that I love my children differently at different times. Brayden tries to push my buttons--always has--and Ryan is pretty easy-going. As long as she does what SHE wants. WHEN she wants. They all are pretty great as far as kids go--you know your kids are terrific when you hang out with OTHER people's kids and you think, "Wow! Mine are looking P-R-E-T-T-Y good right about now," and you are right. Comparatively speaking, my children are PHENOMENAL. They just hate ME and try to push ME over the edge. They are wonderful for pretty much ANYONE else. All three teachers at all three conferences had nothing but wonderful things to say about all three of them (though Ryan's incredibly chatty--where does she get THAT?!--and supposedly has so much going on in her brain that she can't HELP but forget things (seriously--talk about apples and trees--THIS one never even FELL--except for maybe the whole "brilliance" thing--no idea where THAT came from!) and they all commended the brilliance that all three of my sweet babes evidently have. So if they are so freakin' brilliant, how is it that they are unable to follow simple instructions like, "Don't slam your sister's head in the door" or "DO NOT put your brother in the dryer," and still find it reasonable to pull a sibling down the stairs on a raincoat (and then act SURPRISED when said sibling is bleeding or unconscious)?! Yep. BRILLIANT.