Growing Personalities

I have been meaning to write this post ALL SUMMER!  I decided that I have to do it today since school starts on Monday.  This is my annual personality blog post about the kids.  I finally found time to go take some pictures of them too.  I try not to go back and read the previous posts until after I write the current year's, that way I am not influenced by what I have written in the past and can see how they are growing and changing.

It was quite sunny, so a bit of a challenge to get some good pictures without everyone squinting.

Leila
Leila is protective and nurturing toward her siblings and others.  She is responsible and enjoys keeping her spaces neat.  She is very observant like her father (and unlike me).  She wants everything to be fair and continues to love rules (and enforcing them).  Leila is very creative and loves making crafts.  She saw a stand where someone was selling bracelets and wanted to make her own.  She made a bunch of bracelets and set up and advertised her shop in our garage.  She even made up a hybrid type of bracelet with rubber bands and beads all by herself.  She is curious about how things work and always wants to know more.

Stella
Stella is very caring.  Whenever someone is hurt or crying, she runs to find their blanket or lovey, or gets them some ice or a kleenex without anyone asking her to.  She remembers to pray for people that she hears are sick or suffering, even if it is a story she overheard on the news and not even someone we know.  Stella is also appreciative, she is usually the first one to remember to say thank you if we take the kids to do something special, or even just for a meal that she likes.  Stella is self-confident and brave.  She has a sense of adventure and is not afraid to get hurt or dirty.  She is competitive and determined.  If she sets out to accomplish something, she does not give up easily.  Stella is generous.  She will share her candy or give away her money to charity if she is asked.

Henry
Henry is a great helper.  He wants to assist with anything that I am doing.  He is considerate of others and does a good job of sharing his toys with friends and sisters.  Henry loves fiercely - there are many times that I pick him up after being apart and hear that he had been sad or crying because he missed me so much (or his sisters or dad).  Henry made great strides toward independence this year while we were camping.  He loved being able to go off on his bike all by himself to visit with other families from our church.  He is spontaneous and easygoing most of the time.  He still struggles with allergies but is getting braver at his shots and no longer crying.  He takes his limited food choices in stride and enjoys torturing me by changing his food preferences weekly if not daily.

We are so blessed to be the parents of these three beautiful children.  We love them so much and are so grateful to have the opportunity to guide them as they grow into who God created them to be.