Story of the Stools

This is a picture of my niece little Annabelle. We so enjoyed spending the week with her last week. If she could verbalize her thoughts, however, I am not sure she would say the same. She is like a little porcelian doll. Her movements are precise, gentle, and dainty. Next to her, my kids seemed like two very loud linebackers. It didn't help that having their aunt and cousin here from out of town kicked their usual enthusiasm for life up to a whole new level. Every day they were so excited to see them and every day their running/yelling/racing/jumping was just a tad overwhelming to their little cousin.

There are many stories I could choose from illustrate this difference, but I will stick with one. Great Grandma Billye has hand painted all of the great grandchildren these beautiful magical stools which they love. Little Man's is yellow with fish, Kiwi's is pink with princesses, Annabelle's is purple with fish. One day, Annabelle was excited. She climbed up onto the stool and stood there kind of bouncing on her feet, smiling, and jabbering. And that's it. No trying to jump off, over, or around it.

Within days of receiving their stools my children had turned them over, put their stuffed animals in them and raced them around the house pretending they were sleds. They have tried to sled them down the stairs (that was put to an immediate stop). They have jumped off of them. They have both fell of of them.

Now I realize there is an age difference. Little Man is almost three years older then Annabelle and although the eight month gap between her and Kiwi will someday be irrelevant it makes a difference now. Still, however, I never really thought my children were that loud until I saw them in direct comparison with Annabelle (their other two first cousins, Ellie and Lexy, are also the running/jumping/loud kind)

My children adore Annabelle and I wouldn't change a thing about any of the three of them. I just hope she didn't go home thinking, "What was with those crazy cousins?"