Friday January 9, 2009

eclectic \i-KLEK-tik\, adjective:1. selecting and using what seems best from various sources or systems; made up of selections from various sources 2. broad in acceptance of ideas or approval from other sources

Eclectic is often a word I use to describe my children, at least in relation to one another. They are a very eclectic mix. I guess I had this misguided impression that if you take four children from the same set of genes, three of whom are the same gender, that you would get something at least a little similar. I could not have been more wrong when it comes to my children. First of all, they really look nothing alike. Shayna and Camden resemble eachother somewhat - dark brown eyes like me and the same color brown hair. But Nate? Where on earth did that blond hair and blue eyes come from? And Zach has brown hair but pairs that with the most gorgeous hazel eyes I have ever seen. But it is really their personalities that set them way apart from one another. Nate is about as athletic as they come. From a very young age he has played travel hockey, baseball and now football. And he's very smart - and very practical. He's a planner and an executor. He goes from point A to Point B in a direct line. Zachary, my sweet Zachary, is not a proactive participant in anything athletic. Their school requires that two sports be played per year so he grudgingly participates, but he doesn't do it all that happily. And boy is he smart!!!! But when it comes to practical matters, well, I think practical matters tend to be a bit elusive for Zach. For Zach, getting from point A to point B is a delightfully circuitous route that makes very good sense to him but leaves many other heads spinning. But he gets there, and gets there well. Shayna - I can't even comment on anything athletic for her. I do know whenever I propose something athletic it takes about a nano-second before I hear "No." And she's smart too - but her true calling is master manipulation of all of these boys in her life (including her father, I might add.) You can see the wheels turning in that little head when she is looking to get something to go her way. And she is generally successful, much to the dismay of all those boys but they just cannot manage to say no. She is definitely a go-getter and will do what it takes to achieve her goals, often relentlessly. That leaves my sweet Camden. I swear Camden is an old soul locked in that little body. And again, smart. So smart that all of the parenting tricks I thought I had honed - NONE of them work on him. He circumvents my logic at every turn. He rationalizes and debates in a respectful yet lethal manner. Oh yes, this one will give me gray hairs, I'm sure of that. Oh and in terms of him being an avid athlete - the jury's out on that one. I signed him up for T-ball in the spring. A few days ago I said "Cam, how about you learn to ice skate so you can play hockey like Nate?" He looked at me like I had two heads and said "Mommy! I'm already playing that one with the ball and the thing you hit it with!!!" So an avid athlete.......perhaps not. (SO where the heck did Nate come from???)