A new game at bedtime

Obviously not at bedtime
but a cute pic of the 4 and no more

Bedtime is the true ONLY time a day when we come together as a family for one cause. No matter what happens in the day there are at least 4 to 6 nights a week we read devotions together and pray together. It is also the near only time that I spend a few minutes completely alone with each child. My youngest sweet firecracker has a laughing game we play. It is random when it happens or she requests it but I love that it is like a medicine to the soul. How do you play it you ask? Well... we laugh. But not just a ha ha ha tight lipped laugh. Oh no, we will call "CHEATING" loudly on whomever does it. You simply must laugh open mouthed and from deep in your abdomen. This is the kind that once you start it infects the whole room, sometimes even house and you can't stop at all. But in the game we make as serious a face as possible, well her serious faces are so darn funny that I break the rules and laugh too soon. Yet we pause mid laughter to take in the silence... to wait for the other person to surprise you and start laughing. Sometimes it tis I, other times baby girl but it always ends in me forgetting whatever it was that frustrated me throughout the day.
I LOVE this game!

With #3 it seems he needs to whisper and be in on a secret of sorts. I suppose the middle child syndrome of feeling left out makes this game most fun. It only happens when Daddy is not home though because otherwise I have to contend with his vegetable like game of pretending to be asleep in his bed. But on these rare nights we whisper (with littlest nearby trying her best to get in on the fun since she shacks up with little big bro) we enjoy the trickery. Most of the time the "secret" is merely what we will do the next day, or what we will have for breakfast/dinner. But tonight it was a true bonifide secret... a planned family camp-out in the living room ALL 6 of us, heck maybe 8 since K and C are staying Friday night. Can you hear the song "Memories" playing right now?
Tonight, though... after all that tonight I added a new game to the mix. If you consider the 5 love languages
click here to see what yours are then you know that kids people need varied ways of love expressed to them. While I KNOW for a fact my oldest daughter is strongly on physical touch I also KNOW that my youngest son and daughter probably have words of affirmation in their needs. Truly what female possibly male doesn't need a compliment or two that is genuine from time to time. I digress sorry, a bright idea popped in to my head to play the word game. I begun with youngest (certain that younger big bro was now paying attention and included just like Bubba, his nickname, several times) "You are _______". She in turn was to return the compliment of her own for me. We went back and forth till she struggled with ideas which wasn't too terribly long after all she is only 4. But it was sweet to hear her words choices such as nice, beautiful and huggy. Intending to do this with oldest daughter I make my way to her room next.

Dearest daughter was awaiting my entrance. She, like her sister, looks forward to it most and gets very grizzly bear mom on anyone who even considers knocking at her door when it is her turn. I snuggled up next to her just like she prefers and I intro the game. She says ok and gets a bit serious possibly because this requires thought and we all know she hates to lose. I do NOT know where she gets THAT from??? :)
Anyway, we go back and forth lasting a good 5 minutes. I begin to pause myself on word choice. She said You are tall for me LOL seriously, but I am also faithful, pretty, loving, kind. She asked what dedicated and devoted meant, her vocabulary has to have grown this summer with the daily (truly every single day) questions on meanings of words. I do believe this game will pop up often just so when others in the world tell her words less than admirable she will hear my voice repeating the real truth.

 Oldest son well had already hit a nerve by being frozen in my room with the silly Battle Pirates game he and his dad play together. Tonight we will not partake in this game. Something tells me he will struggle with it a bit more than the girls.. course he NEVER proves to be someone you can fit into a standard sized box so we shall see. To be continued there...