Jethro's Approach

"Absolutely," Jethro assured him with a degree of restraint, careful not to appear too excited lest it make the boy really afraid again. "Let's put the tricycle over there, first, though. We need to keep it in good shape because after Abby grows some, she can ride it. Actually, let me do that while you get your new bike set and ready for you."

Tim jerked his head sharply at that assigning of ownership, confirming that he still harbored misgivings.

Understanding blue eyes met uncertain green ones, and Jethro pulled him against him before leaning down to kiss the blond head.

After relegating the tricycle to a place near the swings and giving Abby another good push, he rejoined Tim, who stood next to the bike, one courageous little hand gripping one sturdy handlebar.

Gibbs held it steady as Tim climbed onto the seat, and Jethro's heart quickened as he recognized that the height from the ground to his current perch had clearly unnerved his son.

To reassure him, he stood in front of the bike, resting both hands on the handlebars above where Tim maintained a fierce grip, his body tensed in anticipation of participating in the rite of passage.

Speaking calmly, Jethro ran through a history of the wheel, and the ways in which it had shaped transportation, answering the little fellow's analytical questions as they arose.

Gradually, his son's grip relaxed on the hand grips and his sturdy frame appeared to deflate a bit, some of the tension leaving his small body.

Finally, Jethro backed away and moved to the rear of the bike. He positioned himself so that Tim could feel his strong hands grip the little shoulders, establishing the security the child needed to brave those first seconds of setting the bike into motion.

Calling out encouragement, Gibbs kept tight hold of his son on the bike until the little boy had executed two complete circuits around the yard's perimeter.

Then without fanfare, he released his support and watched as little Tim pedaled independently, calling out gleefully, "I did it, Daddy! I did it! I can ride the real bike! Look at me!"

Bursting with pride at the expression on that innocent baby face, Gibbs hastened to the center of the yard and watched his boy go, pedaling with such determination that he flexed his upper arm muscles and clenched his tiny jaw.

Jethro never forgot it. The rite of passage may have been undergone by all four of his children, but Gibbs secretly cherished Tim's above the rest, and would sometimes go to sleep at night recalling that determined, excited, proud little face.

Surprisingly, within a couple of months after mastering that monumental step, Tim approached his dad on his own, and suggested to his father that he though he could tackle a bike without training wheels.

Studying the little fellow's earnest expression, Jethro quashed his reservations and responded with a grin, "All righty, then, let's go!"

Covering Tim's hands with his own, they removed the training wheels with a wrench from the basement, and Tim helped his father store the hardware for Abby's future use.

Losing the additional wheels proved harder for the child to master, but surprisingly, Tim jumped up and remounted after each tumble as he learned to do so.

That afternoon, though, not an hour after Tim made his request, Jethro planted himself at the opposite end of their residential street and watched his boy ride his bike the entire length of the sidewalk to join him.

Yes, the boys had turned out to have entirely different personalities, almost polar opposite temperaments, in fact.

Actually, the family's males were not the only anomalies. The same could describe the girls, as well, could highlight the fact that Kate and Abby approached life from two opposing, but undeniably perceptive perspectives.

Independence impelled Kate from the very moment of her birth, and even at an incredibly young age she shirked assistance, demanding to do things herself. As the family's second child she had Tony to imitate, true, but something about her personality had always driven her to pursue personal accomplishments and to excel at any and all competitions.

Tucking her into bed one night when she was four, Jethro marveled at the confidence she displayed in just reciting her nightly prayers. Scooting down in the bed as her daddy straightened the covers over her red and white gingham nightgown, Kate placed a dainty hand onto his wrist. Playing with his fingers, his little girl insisted that she needed to join the Girl Scouts, having overheard the older sister of one of her friends describe the badges which Scouts earned for projects and work.

Moving to a more comfortable position, he brushed back her chestnut brown hair and traced his finger down her nose and lips and chin. "That sounds good, Honey, but I think you have to grow some first."

She regarded him shrewdly. "I know that, Daddy, but before that I can be a Brownie Girl Scout."

His brow furrowed. "A what?"

"A Brownie, Daddy, and I will wear a uniform and win those badges for my uniform."

"Oh," he leaned down and kissed her before sliding off the bed. "We'll see."

She grabbed onto the side of his leg to stop him. "No, Daddy, please. I really want to be that by myself."

That night little Katie initiated her campaign, and thereafter, each evening at bedtime she reminded him that she still had plans to join the Scouts.

Jethro humored her, thinking she would lose interest in the group, despite the fact that she apprised him of her wishes every single night.

She then broadened her audience, discussing her future plans with any available adult.

One afternoon while spending time with Mrs. Mallard, Victoria drove Kate to meet with the leader of a local Scout troop, a woman whose mother Victoria knew. The leader explained that at four, Kate would join a troop as a Daisy, then as a Brownie, and eventually, would graduate to a Scout.

Eagerly peppering the leader with questions, Kate satisfied her curiosity about projects and activities integral to scouting, which she then rattled off to update her father repeatedly and passionately the subsequent several nights.

Finally assuring himself that Kate would probably stick with the activity, and personally sick of hearing about the troop, its mission, its badges, or its projects, Gibbs placed the necessary calls and an excited Kate joined the club.

Not surprisingly, as she matured his little girl earned the most badges, completed the most projects, and acted as a role model and leader in each division of the Scouts.

Frankly, no matter what club she joined, she pursued it with single minded determination until she made her way to the top.

Proud of her accomplishments, Jethro built her two intricately carved display boxes and a series of shelves upon which to display her ribbons, awards, and trophies.

What her younger brother, Tim, lacked in confidence, Kate possessed a hundredfold.

That identified the very core of his Katie.

More like Tony, though, Abby's personality and charm dominated her being, and she reveled in her role as an exuberant people person. Loving and affectionate, she stationed herself in her daddy's lap any time she found it free, or just when she insisted Jethro hold her. Without explicit instructions from her father, in fact, she would not allow her siblings a turn at being cuddled. More than once Gibbs had to set Abby firmly on the floor and remind her that Tony, or Tim, or Kate also needed a turn.

She loved her siblings, though, as she loved her daddy. Even at a young age she proved fiercely possessive of those she loved, and she never shied away from demonstrating her affection.

Blessed with an interest in a multitude of subjects, even as a toddler she could keep her attention directed at something for hours on end.

She begged for an aquarium when she was three, and once Gibbs brought it home she opted to furnish it with snails, three varieties of fish, and an African clawed frog.

No, a simple goldfish did not appeal to his youngest.

It scared Jethro that she would drag a chair across the room and top it with her booster chair to get herself as close as possible to watch the marine life. He worried that she would fall against the aquarium and send it down onto her. Finally, though, he hit upon the solution by building a sturdy oak stand to safeguard the aquarium, one which he attached to the wall at Abby's viewing level.

Though the other children certainly enjoyed the water pets, his youngest studied them for hours, enraptured as she examined the interplay amongst the sea life.

That aquarium led to a terrarium, and even to an ant farm after that.

That same creative and gifted curiosity sometimes landed the child into trouble, though.

For example, at six, Abby had progressed through a stage where she used her magnifying glass to scrutinize anything and everything which caught her eye. She kept it with her, as well as a little journal to jot notes, and wandered throughout the house investigating one made up mystery after another.

Her siblings did not appreciate her vocation, however, since she routinely snooped through their belongings, and they complained loudly and adamantly to Jethro.

Admonishing her, he stood her in front of him and made her repeat his instructions about rules of privacy. Agreeing with Tim, Tony, and Kate, he warned Abby that he would punish her if she continued to disregard the family's right to privacy. Reiterating the rules of the house and the expectations for respect, he certainly made himself clear.

Like her sister, though, Abby possessed a stubborn streak, and not even twenty four hours after Jethro's warning found her rifling through Tim's dresser drawer. Discovered by the irate owner of the contents, a loud shouting match ensued, culminating with Abby slamming the drawer down on the ground, watching smugly as all of her brother's treasures scattered and rolled across the floor.

Tim's outraged response brought the rest of the family running to the room. Realizing that trouble loomed for her, Abby hurriedly assured her unhappy father that she would clean up the disaster and apologize to her brother, while she attempted to diminish the problem of her snooping.

Nevertheless, Gibbs did not forgive the deed so quickly.

Once Jethro delivered a well deserved spanking, though, her bravado disappeared entirely. Through her sobs she managed to convey that she would channel her curiosity more appropriately in the future.

One of Abby's greatest assets centered around her gentle heart, and the little girl did some soul searching when Jethro sent her to her room for the remainder of the afternoon. After that particular punishment but without prodding from her father, she approached Tim with her little piggy bank, insisting he take all of the money to buy replacements for the treasures she had broken.

Yes, no one could ever question Abby's uniqueness.

Hanging up the phone on his desk and rubbing the bridge of his nose in resignation one afternoon, Gibbs commented to Ducky that complete strangers would gather an accurate assessment of his four children simply by eavesdropping for a minute or two upon a phone conversation or reading the first lines of a note from their teachers.

Basically, the consensus of instructors was an agreement that the four youngsters intrinsically meant well, but, an offering to soften whatever misbehavior they reported with the communication.

"Though I appreciate the fact that Abby felt another child lacked appropriate winter clothing, still it took several commands to make her stop removing her own wardrobe to share with the other girl."

"Tim appears to think that despite my instructions to focus upon his own assignments, he needs to act as a tutor any time another child asks a question or experiences difficulty."

"As a visionary seeking the betterment of the class, Kate deserves praise. As a class officer, however, Kate will need to refrain from losing patience with her peers when they disagree with her point of view."

"If he would apply the same degree of dedication to his schoolwork that he applies to his entertainment capabilities when a peer is upset, or in building group rapport and cohesion, Tony's academic life would skyrocket."