times three

I've been going through some really odd dejavu situations lately. Today we were on the elevator at the YMCA -- I'm sure you are asking why I was on the elevator at a place where workouts occur, but consider the load involved with getting all of us to the gym -- anyway, William, Grace and I were there. We were headed to put Grace in the nursery so that we could first attend William's music class. (I worked out later.) We step onto the elevator. I put Grace down. William then goes into uber protection mode screaching, "Moooom, you cannot let her near these emergency buttons. Those are the ones she hits evvvvvery time and you will have to hold onto her hand tightly!"

Excuse me? My speed demon has come to his senses and is now telling me what to do with his younger sister??? Did the world stop turning today and I wasn't told?

Then tonight we were eating out -- which has become a pleasure with a 20 month old (she says sarcastically) -- and Grace starts stripping in the restaurant. She is determined to take her top off and you can be sure the pants were next in her little logical brain. I took one look at her and had instant flashbacks to Jordan (with the exception of Grace's blonder hair). When we were moving to Maryland from Hawaii Jordan stripped in a restaurant almost every night. She had only worn a sundress in Hawaii each day so winter clothing for Maryland's February weather was more than she could stand. More than once I accepted the award for mother of the year with Jordan's inappropriate clothing removal. That's not even counting the moment we got off the plane in Atlanta during the move and I handed her wrapped in a blanket with only a diaper on to my in-laws who had not seen her for 7 months. (Another traumatic story for another post...let's just say that the winter outfit transition on the plane ride DID NOT go well.) How old was Jordan when we moved? 20 months old. See? Dejavu.

Honestly, I think God is trying to teach me a lot of lessons with these kids. I adore them -- really I do. I guess I'm still not getting the point because I'm experiencing all this times three. Then again, at least I know that "this too shall pass."