7 under 11

Suddenly our annual family beach trips have turned into a bunch of big kids. No one brings diapers. No one needs an afternoon nap (except me). There are no diaper bags or changes of clothes when we go out to eat. There are fewer meltdowns, and keeping everyone fed helps prevent them. It was once 2 under 2. Then 4 under 4. Then 6 under 6. Then 7 under 7, then 7 under 8 and 7 under 9.  Last year was 7 under 10. Now we've quit adding kids (I'm pretty sure) and they keep getting older.

These people have always had their own opinions, now they have gotten better at expressing them. One of my sisters in law said "I don't know how we ended up with 7 alpha children" and she's not wrong.Every one of them loves to be the boss, and they create games just so they can make up rules for the others. There are jumping into the water competitions, complete with a judge and elimination rounds. There are shooting water into other people's faces games, there are you have to find this specific kind of shell games, and I will ride you on the paddle board games. It's kind of like if Dr. Seuss had written Green Eggs and Ham, but with kids bossing each other.

I will boss you on a boat 

I will boss you while you float. 

I will boss you in the air

I will boss you everywhere. 

                                                

Best friends we will be

As long as you're listening to me

Things are good and then turn sour

Thirty times in half an hour

See us sitting? Sitting out?

See us crying, see us pout? 

"You must sit out" said your mother

When we tried to drown each other

 First she screamed and then jumped in

When we were fighting in the deep end. 

We would not apologize

We're not big on compromise

See us playing at sunset? 

I do not want to share my net

Share the net or you'll regret

I do not want to share the net

A seagull just ate my food

It ate my food that is not good

It swooped down and flew right by

It took my food back to the sky

I do not want to share that shovel

Share the shovel or you're in trouble. 

I shared the shovel yesterday

I do not care what you say

You pick her up

And I'll pick him up

And I'll pick them up

We've had enough up

We'll jump up high

No hesitating

Number six

is levitating

Serious face

And hands on hips

I'll be the boss

of this whole trip

I'm the king 

Of this hill

I'll push you off my hill

I will. 

You cannot pass

You can't go through

I'll stop you now

I'm bigger than you

You'd think because

I am the oldest

I'd boss them all

But it is hopeless. 

We might spend all week

Acting like banshees

But we will smile

For Papa and Bebe. 

Fighting, bossing, 

No doubt about it

It wouldn't be cousin beach week

Without it

But nothing makes our parents

Forget it quicker

Than seeing our annual 

Cousin beach picture