The Last Lecture

Tonight I was finishing up a book for the neighborhood book club called the Last Lecture.  It was really popular a few years ago when the professor gave the lecture on Oprah w/ only months to live and it was really touching.  I can't stop thinking about this part when the professor talks about an interview he had with Diane Sawyer who said to him "the crucial thing is to tell them (his kids) the specific idiosyncratic ways in which I related to them."  So here are some idiosyncrisies my kids have that I relate to.

Emmilyne:  how she cried when William got his flu shot even when he didn't cry because she felt so sad he had to get one.  Her face when kids much younger then her beg to play with her.  How gentle she is with things.  How she steps into high gear when she senses I am stressed out.  How instead of getting defensive when she has done something wrong she says, "now what should I do".  How she always wants to be on my good side.

Matthew:  How his blue eyes light up when he laughs.  How he relates things to each other.  How he doesn't forget certain things I tell him about people.  How he smiles shyly when put on the spot.  How he will talk for hours and hours if you ask him about something he is interested in.

Michael:  How he laughs and won't stop when something is funny.  How he tells me he loves my dinner and thanks me for making it with the most sincere expression every time.  How sweet he gets when he is the oldest in the group.  How he loves to have a buddy or assistant with him at all times.  How neatly he makes his bed, it's perfect!

William:  How he can't stand to stay inside when he sees a neighbor outside.  He has to run and at least yell "hi" even if he has just gotten out of the bath.  How he loves loves to work in shoes or boots.  How happy he is to go anywhere.  How he throws his head back when he laughs.  How he rarely STOPS talking, he has to be extremely tired!!!  His big eyes when he says, WHAT?

Maxwell:  How he loves for me to stroke his few strands of hair.  How his cry totally changes when he sees I am coming to get him.  How he scrunches up his face when he is in the bath.  How he purs when I snuggle him close to me.  How he will always go to sleep if I hold him next to me in bed!