The Cousins

It was a great idea…but a little bit like herding cats…and dogs…and sheep…and mice all at once. Getting five kids under the age of five to pose for a nice picture for a mere second is asking for nearly the impossible. I say nearly because the professional photo really did turn out nice…and showcased each of their personalities. My parents loved their 40^th anniversary gift: a picture of their five grandkids.

We’ve spent the last week at my parents home, getting away from our life for a while for a little R&R. Although I’m not sure you would call five kids and four dogs relaxing. We certainly stayed busy, but it was a fun kind of busy. From the park to a small zoo to a big pool to the children’s museum in Indy. Not to mention picking blueberries, Nerf gun fights, bubble blowing and swinging (Emry’s all time favorite now that her fear of swings is overcome). Never a dull moment.

Yes, my parents now have FIVE grandkids. When that happened, I’m not sure. But then I look at my two kids somedays and wonder when that happened, so… And each one certainly has his or her own personality, which comes out more and more each time they are together…and makes it great fun to watch them.

Jay is the eldest. At four years old, he is by far the head of the pack. For now, he’s also the biggest (although his younger brother is giving him a run for his money). Jay is all boy: never still, adventurous, the wearer of Super Hero capes and goes about forever tempting his aunts into Nerf gun fights. He’s also all four: asks questions about everything, tries new things even if he can’t quite do them…and did I already say never still?

Jay washing Aunt Jenny’s truck.

Curtis is one. He’s Jay’s younger (but near-future bigger) brother. Poor thing has had a trial and a half teething, a rite-of-passage that should have an end but I think my sister feels it may never be over. When he’s not upset over those awful teeth, he’s busy with absolutely whatever he can get his hands on, which is everything since he’s quite a quick crawler. (He takes a few steps, but you can tell he thinks crawling way more efficient so who cares about the whole walking thing?) And 95% of that everything winds up in his mouth. (The other 5% simply doesn’t fit.)

Curtis enjoying the cookout.

Benito is also one. An only child and usually the only grandchild about (he lives a few hours from my parents and is at their house often), I’m afraid his cousins may have cramped his style a little bit. For one, he had to share the swing (he and Emry were trying to compete in the But-I-Don’t-Want-To-Share-Tantrum). He was an early everything (roll over, sit up, crawl, walk) so he’s head-first into everything and pretty stubborn about it. He’s also pretty serious and getting him to smile is a real reward. But maybe that’s for the best because when he does smile he’s so cute you want to give him just about anything!

Benito wearing Grandma’s glasses.

And then there are my two. Emry is the only girl. She doesn’t know that yet, so she has no idea what she could probably get away with (although not sharing the swing isn’t one of those things). She certainly can’t keep up with Jay yet, although she would follow him about a bit mesmerized by all he could do. For that matter, she can hardly keep up with Curtis and Benito who are just as big (or bigger) than she. I think her greatest accomplishment of the week was climbing up the ladder to the slide by herself just as the boys could do. Or maybe it was learning to shoot a Nerf gun. Yes, she’ll be forever trying to keep up with the boys.

Emry being a girl – pedicure!

As will little Ethan. Curtis and Benito found having a littler person around fascinating. I think Ethan just found having so many people about paying him attention wonderful, especially ones more at his floor-level. But being tiny and wiry, he’s going to have to go the extra-mile to keep up with his much larger cousins. I have a funny feeling that’s not going to slow him down one bit.

 Ethan’s idea of a good time at the pool.