There’s
only one word to describe our year: LOUD!!!
Spend a
day at the David house and you will feel like you spent a week at the zoo. In this place, the smaller the animal,
the louder they seem to be. While
Jake is like a stoic, protective gorilla, Jesse is like a screechy,
wall-climbing chimpanzee.
Not sure how to describe the sound that Avery makes – it’s like part
monkey, part shrieking owl. Peyton
is a little unique…she can be thought of more as the dancing bear looking to
entertain than any sort of primate.
And then
there’s Tahoe…we adopted him this spring after Winston passed away. He fits in perfectly – particularly, if
you are into cute and unruly.
Personally, I thought that was Jesse's job. After 8 months with us, he STILL only answers to the name @$#&%.
Tahoe and
Jesse have become real pals (more like partners in crime). I can take either of them one-on-one –
it's when they tag team, that I don’t stand a chance. It goes something like this: Jesse will do a smash and grab on the china cabinet and then
run away giggling madly. While I
chase her through the maze of toys in the family room to save Shelly’s tea set,
Tahoe will sneak over and swipe dinner right off the kitchen table.
Fortunately
for us, their general lack of patience often causes one to turn on the other
before allowing their plans to fully play out. More than once I have watched as Jesse has gone out alone on a reconnaissance mission
looking for something vulnerable to topple when Tahoe will come by and rip
the food rations right out of her hand (typically something nourishing, like
potato chips).
Having
said that, Jesse is really sweet and energetic. She has a terrific laugh and a smile that melts my
heart. Jesse has a fun
streak, too - she loves to play games.
Our favorite is called
"heart attack." That is
where she teeters at the edge of the top step and looks down mischievously at
me threatening to jump. Then she
counts how long I can last before going into cardiac arrest.
That
Jesse…always looking for a laugh.
Avery got
all of her parent’s best traits - Shelly's looks and Shelly's brains. She truly will
not be allowed to date for years to come.
Fortunately, she is still WAY too loud for any unsuspecting young
suitor. Still, I am not taking any chances. I am in the process of building a one-window tower outside
of her room.
One
morning, as Shelly was finishing her third glass of wine (another day of
fishing Jesse out of Tahoe's water dish), Avery pointed out that she can't wait
until she is 37 so she that can drink wine, too. Yep, that is exactly the right age - just about the time she
will be allowed to date.
She has
already begun career planning. We
are thinking investigative reporter because she makes it her business to know
everything happening in the house.
She has made so many “busts,” that the rest of us don’t even try to get
away with anything on her watch anymore (MOMMMM!!! Daddy’s sneaking more candy!).
Avery is
very nurturing, always volunteering to “babysitter” her little sister. She has an outstanding memory,
too. She seems to remember the
name of everyone that she comes into contact with and she has learned to recite
all 50 states in alphabetical order.
She is also starting to get into athletics. She picked-up skiing in just a couple of lessons, played a
little soccer this summer and is really developing an interest in
gymnastics. She even has a wide
array of swing set tricks - come over and she will be happy to show you.
While
Jesse is the little “prankster” type and Avery is the inquisitive, “nothin’s gettin’
past me” type,
Peyton is kind of the “hug-the-world” type…except for those times that she
turns into the possessed little Sybil type (I’m kidding!!). The way I view Peyton is that she is a
teenager trapped in a 7 year old's body - lots of friends, lots of activities
and at times, a whole lot of attitude. She
plays sports (skiing, soccer, tennis and swimming), is involved in brownies and
drama, loves to draw, read books and will volunteer for anything.
I fully
expect the 2000’s version of “Valley Girl” to walk down the stairs the moment
she turns 13. I have a cell phone
plan already picked out for her and we have moved her into the room at the
farthest end of the house. This
way I won't have to endure hours of "Like, oh my G-d!!” and "Like totally,
tripindicular!"
as she talks on the phone.
Jake -- I
try to resist the temptation to mold him into the athlete that I never
became. Fortunately for him, the
hurdle is low. Poor guy - we have
him in tennis, baseball, skiing, swimming and golf. He plays electric guitar (for the chicks, of course) and
writes for the school newspaper.
He is an avid reader and still loves video games.
At ten
years old, Jake has become quite responsible. Surprising for a kid whose hero is Calvin, the imaginative,
disobedient boy from the comic book “Calvin and Hobbes”. For the right price (PlayStation2
time), he is always available to take care of his sisters. He is currently negotiating a
salary increase. Frankly, I would
buy him an entire arcade if I could just get him to change one of Jesse’s
diapers. Given his considerable
bargaining skills, though, he is going to end up either being a really good
trader when he grows up or a used car salesman.
Yes,
things around here can be a bit higgledy-piggledy
(good word, huh? got it off
Thesaurus.com), but we couldn’t enjoy it any other way.
Here is
to a quiet 2006! Enjoy the
holidays.