Living Out Loud

"It's really funny the things that are inside of you that never come out, and then they come out in your kids." 

 -Danny Devito in Living Out Loud

Most of the time, life with children is a blur of activity, discipline, schedules and messes. But there are moments - everyday - that take my breath away. It's almost like an unexpected shift in a monotonous movie, that turns suspenseful and intriguing.

During a daily task or routine, one of my daughters will say or do something that brings me back to life, brings my awareness to the amazing capacity of such little beings; their incredible skill of retention - something they saw or heard a few days ago, and are just now coming full circle with the knowledge. Or the exacting way in which they can mimic one of my actions or movements.

It's amplified in twins simply because there are two of them - I'm witnessing their development simultaneously and in duplicate. What I might miss in one, I'll observe in the other.

I try to capture images with my minds' eye; the two of them engaged in exclusive conversation or performing a clandestine activity.

Or I will see them as only a mother can - a look in their eyes or a tone in their voice that lets me glimpse, ever so briefly, their precious, rapidly developing minds.

A big shout out to whomever knows which one is which :-)

Renee was the first to comment, just 12 minutes after this post was published! But Auntie Natalie got it right! Here's what's really funny: I asked the girls this morning which one was which and they BOTH got it wrong!