Kids spend all day repeating behaviors to learn them, begging for this or that, wanting to try something new. Jen lets them 'help' vacuum. She lets Jack use this plastic chopper to chop jicama. He always wants to help cook but then he is interested in everything and wants to help Dad and granddads with tools, etc. Jeffy tries to 'read' and, at one point, sits for long minutes on the floor with books he's pulled out arrayed in front of him. You wonder what he's thinking. Jack takes pictures with my digital camera. He doesn't really get my 'best side' shooting up like that. He takes pretend pictures with an old camera Jen has for him, too.

We go to a soccer game where Jack reverts to much less sophisticated behavior because he is, I guess, afraid of the social situation. I mostly chase his little brother. We failed to bring a ball for him and he keeps trying to steal them until a little six or seven-year-old girl plays with him with her ball.

We celebrate (hey, Jack made a goal for the other team which we consider a victory because he was actually on the field and kicked) by going for ice cream.

Between feeding the kids things, changing diapers, cooking and cleaning (with their 'help') my niece and I talk a little. I never understand how parents stay the course. But most do.