We play on the floor, both TheMonk and Swee’Pea climbing all over me. We laugh and giggle as we roll on the floor. Both TheMonk and Swee’Pea take turns crawling on my belly where I buck them like a Bronco as drool flies out of their mouths.

Suddenly, I am above them and Swee’Pea assumes the summersault position (head on the ground, feet on the ground, butt high in the air) which is my cue to flip her onto her back. She giggles with glee as she lands softly. TheMonk, having witnessed this scene, decides for the first time ever that he too wants to summersault. He too assumes the position and waits for Daddy to flip him. He laughs out loud and immediately scampers up to do it again.

Before you can say Acrobat, both TheMonk and Swee’Pea are scrambling up to do a summersault while Daddy does his own scrambling to keep up. Swee’Pea, the experienced summersaulter, is elegant and deliberate in assumming the position. TheMonk, on the other hand, is pure boy. He plops his head down so quickly that his forehead actually slides forward a bit as he sticks his little rump high into the air. He is good at this and if I don’t get there soon enough he will start to push off with his little feet trying to complete the summersault. He shows no fear as his little body goes tumbling out of control. He laughs hysterically – so full of joy it’s impossible not to join in.

Finally, we are all tumbled out. TheMonk and Swee’Pea both lie on their backs looking up toward the ceiling. I lean down and give them kisses before they go off looking for something else to do. As I watch them I try and burn what just happened into my memory so I don’t forget how really wonderful having these two in my life can be.