My kiddos...

As you probably know by now, I have 4 children. I have Kristin (8 1/2 yrs), Shayla (7 1/2 yrs), Aliyah (4 1/2 yrs), and Kyle (10 1/2 mos). I didn't know how much joy and love a child would bring into my life until after I had my first baby...in 2002. There are no words to describe the type of love that grows inside your heart once you have a child. My husband and I feel so blessed to have each one of them. They are all so unique and each have such big, wonderful personalities.

Kristin is the "little mama"...I guess probably partly due to her being the firstborn. She is always helping her little sisters or brother and sometimes ordering them around like a little mama...lol. She's so smart and picked up the ability to read starting in pre-K. She was reading like a pro by kindergarten. She's a little sponge wanting to learn every little thing there is to learn. She's daring and likes trying to teach herself new things...headstands, cartwheels, etc.

Shayla is my creative little cuddle bug. She is so sensitive and loves and cares for others. If she has a toy her sister wants she is willing to give it up just to make her happy. She gives tons of hugs and kisses that I love to soak up. She can take a piece of trash and truly turn it into treasure just by adding her creative touches to it. I'm amazed by all the things she's created. She loves to put on plays for us to watch and pretends to be a magician.

Aliyah is my rockstar. Ever since she was 6 mos. old she's shown such a passion for music. As I strolled through the mall one day we were passing a store that was playing loud music. She sat up and began dancing like crazy. As we walked past and the music faded, she stopped dancing. I realized what she had just done so I backed up to the store and once again she began jammin' to the music...lol. I love it. She's always created her own songs and will sing them with such passion. She is adventurous and loves to get dirty. She'll play with bugs and dirt and will get muddy all over.

Kyle is my only boy. He has such a big personality already! He has been so cuddly and loving ever since he was born. He's shown a sensitive side too. When he was just a tiny baby he responded to a happy face with a smile, but if you changed your expression to a silly or scary face he would cry. Same with voices, if he heard the tone of your voice change to one he wasn't familiar with he would cry...lol. He's grown out of being that sensitive. Recently he's begun to show a temper. Oh yes...a big temper. It all started one day when I saw him pick up a crayon. I took the crayon from him, picked him up, and he leaned in to give me a sweet kiss on my chin...OR NOT. Instead he bit me (or should I say gummed me), then pinched my cheeks, and started slapping my face!! WHOA...I thought...WHAT JUST HAPPEND?? I was just beat up by my 10 mo. old baby. Yikes...what am I in for?? Even after the moments of temper he still is so loving and gives me sweet kisses.

I love them all equally, yet they are all so different. They are so special to me.