The youngest kids on the homestead (excepting the baby goats), Clumsy, Banana and Blueberry bring distinct personalities with them from Heavenly Father to our family. Sometimes it can feel a little challenging to take care of all we have going on in our lives AND have toddlers underfoot. But they each add their own joy to our homestead. It sometimes seems amazing to me how much personality a young child can truly have.
A Little About Clumsy
Clumsy most definitely comes by her name honestly. When she was first able to get up and run, she would bolt down the hallway and fall flat on her face. Rather than cry, she would pick herself up, laughing, and go back to where she started. She’d then proceed to run down the hallway and trip at the EXACT SAME SPOT. It was like she did it on purpose! She seemed to be having a grand time. She has more than her fair share of spills and tumbles. Fortunately, she seems to survive them with surprising toughness, most of the time.
Clumsy’s biggest love is animals. She would play all day long with Kaiyah, my Border Collie, if given half the chance. Clumsy loves to snuggle with, pick up, play with, be drug by, or have anything else to do with animals. She also enjoys cooking, playing with dolls, dressing up for church and anything that allows her to spend time with other people.
Clumsy’s most admirable trait is being social. She loves to be around people. The worst punishment in the world for her would probably to have everyone get together and tell her to stay in her room alone. She loves being around people, being involved in what they’re doing, or even just playing on her own in your presence. She doesn’t need all your attention, she just wants to be with you. It’s a sweet trait that I don’t always show appreciation for as much as I should.
A Little About Banana
When Banana was still in the womb, Sleepy’s nurse explained she was about the size of a banana. Thus, her nickname was in place before she ever made her first appearance. Although she occasionally tells me she’s not a banana, I know better. I have caught her in the act of cannibalism countless times – though she doesn’t seem ashamed of eating her pale fruity cousins! Some kids just have no shame, I guess.
Banana loves being picked up, being ornery, being chased, and puzzles. She is usually the child most likely to be up in her Daddy’s arms. She’s got him well trained. She likes to argue almost as much as her Mom, which seems crazy in a child her age but is definitely true. She’s not usually super angry about it, she just enjoys disagreeing with people. Boy, you should hear her crow when she thinks she’s proven herself right!
Banana’s most admirable trait is her willingness to share. She trundles into our room first thing in the morning, her blanket trailing along the ground, and makes urgent demands for crackers. Lala is, naturally, a sucker for this request. She gives her a cracker. Banana then patiently (sort of) requests another cracker for her sister. Once she has it, off she goes. In case you think she’s just got us twisted around her finger, we’ve checked, she actually tracks her sister down to share. She isn’t always so willing, but considering her age and current stage, I’d say she is a pretty naturally giving person.
A Little About Blueberry
Blueberry picked up his nickname in much the same fashion as his sister. We just spotted him on the ultrasound a little earlier, I guess. For the longest time, we teased Sleepy that she was probably having another girl, and that we should be calling her “Pinkberry” instead of blueberry. Apparently, the blue thoughts won out. He even appears to be keeping his blue eyes. Blueberry is a big chunky boy, though, and sometimes I wonder if Grapefruit or Watermelon mightn’t have been a better name…
Blueberry is still just a little guy, and he hasn’t really established what he loves, yet. He loves to eat, for sure! Though now that he’s on solid food, he makes some strange faces depending upon what mashed veggie or fruit he is being fed. His Aunty Hurricane has already gotten him hooked on popsicles. You’d think she wouldn’t want the competition, but she was practically begging the day before he was old enough for ‘real food’. Actually, I think she probably snuck him a few bites BEFORE that… Blueberry also loves hair. Seems to be quite fascinated by it, honestly. He’s always happy to give it a pull or twist. Much to the long-haired family members chagrin.
Blueberry hasn’t really established his best traits yet. Being less than a year old makes that hard. But he’s already showing signs of being a very quiet, contemplative fellow. Banana, from the moment she was born, was a spitfire, and from the moment Blueberry was born, he has been quiet and mellow. We’ll see if that stays with him as the years roll by.
The Messy Fruit Salad on the Homestead
The younger you are, around here, the less you can help. Clumsy is starting to get old enough to pitch in and often can be found helping one of her older cousins with their chores. Banana trails her sister around and tries to get involved. For the most part, the fruit salad is simply responsible for learning, growing, and playing, at this stage. I personally am looking forward to when Clumsy can be more involved with the farm animals. I think she’ll end up like Perfection, getting way too attached to the animals, but, at the same time, she will give them great love and care.
The Messy Fruit Salad and Papa
These three occupy one of the special places of my heart. It has been wonderful to be involved with them from the start, and see them grow and learn. I don’t always feel as if I’m as close to them as I should be. So much other stuff gets in the way. Yet when they trundle in of a morning or come to visit Kaiyah (I’m honest enough to know I’m chopped liver next to her, at least to Clumsy), they bring with them a childlike love and joy.
They have so much potential to become something great and special. The most fun part of it is that I don’t really know, yet, what they will be like. They definitely have traits they brought from Heaven and other traits they are picking up here. How will that blend turn out, though? I honestly don’t know.
Yet.