Friday the 13th and Thursday the 19th, the days on which my children were born

Children fall into my "Best Ever Principle," which also includes spouses, weddings, families, and a favorite pair of shoes. These are things that, from each individual's perspective, should rank as their personal: The Best Ever.

Spouse-Jeff is the best ever husband. I think he should write a book or teach a class about it to other husbands, but that wouldn't be Jeff's way, which makes even more best (bestest?) ever.

Wedding- as far as these go, our wedding was the best ever. Years later, I still love everything we did to make our wedding special.

Families-easily, our family is the best ever. The Draper's have a family saying, "We're Drapers and no one else matters." But that makes Jeff uncomfortable, and perhaps rightly so (see the point about best ever Spouse), because we have such wonderful family on all sides, through all extensions, and we don't want to leave anyone out.

Favorite pair of shoes- currently a designer pair of leopard smoking slippers that I paid almost nothing for, making them, the best ever.

Now that brings me to my children. Individually they are the best ever. Sawyer can make a sword out of anything. He plays well with everyone and invents such creative games and even fresh new stories of knights and dragons and what he did last night. He can make anyone feel better with his budding vocabulary of kindness. He says things like, "Are you awright Mama? What's wong?" "Oh that's ok Ewoweeze. That happens." "Hey Dada, whatchu do today? What you have for lunch?" "Mama, what you think?" I say, "I think it's super awesome." He says,"thank you Mama, thank you for saying that."

Elouise is in the middle of a word explosion. She says Nana, Shane, Jesus, babies, birds, cheese, cheers, and what she can't say exactly, she rolls out in the most engaging baby babble while gesturing with her hands.  She sings songs- to others and herself- and one of her favorites is that old "Lemon drops and gumdrops" song. And her dancing. Golly it's good. She'll run up to her room all by herself, turn her alarm radio on all by herself, and start shaking her groove thing all around her room until someone comes to join her-and she'll laugh and laugh.

Together, they are the best ever. They are learning to play together and read together. Sawyer is already shaping up to be the best big brother ever. He gets snacks for Elouise, shares his food, lifts her up, takes her down from high places she loves to climb to, and calls to me whenever she gets herself into a little mischief.  Elouise rewards him with the best ever baby bear hugs and sweet, sweet kisses.  She'll also pat him on the head and chase him around shouting, "waaazaa" and will cross swords with him anytime he shares a blade with her.

So now you're convinced too, right? My babies are the best ever.