Serious Conversations

Spring Break CAN be kinda fun! When the kids aren't fighting.....they actually have a minute to be together and have had some pretty cute conversations. I had to jot down a few of the more "serious" chats that have been going on:

Starting with Isaac and his very cute, yet effective, ways of communicating. He really gets his point across even though most of his words sound like jibber jabber. He still calls horses "Neighs" and now he calls cows "Meuwws". Not "Moos" but "Meuwws"--like a cat and and a cow mixed. He says "yum yums" instead of food--and there are many more similar substitutions. I'm starting to wonder, isn't it just as easy to say "Cow"? He says "Ow" when he gets hurts, so why not "Cow"? I think he's making it more complicated than it really is!

Anyway, lately he's always talking about SCARY things. He comes up to me at least twice a day and says "Mom, DARY! ROAR!" (With both arms up in the air like he's a scary monster) And then he grabs my finger and pulls me to where the "DARY" things are. Most often it's behind the shower curtain, sometimes we have to go into the food storage room together and look around, and check inside closets just to make sure. I just love the "Roar" part--he does the biggest, scariest roar. You have to hear it I guess.

Which reminds me of Emma and something she shared with me the other day. In all seriousness, she came running into my room and said, "Mom, now I can go down and clean my room all by myself sometimes, because now I know that there are no robbers inside the bathtub. Because if there was a robber, he would get really hungry since there is no food in there. And if he came out and asked us for food, we would probably just say "No way! You're a robber! Get out of our house!" So there really can't be any robbers in there."

Since I couldn't think of anything to say (still processing all of this....I didn't know that she was afraid of robbers hiding out in the bathtub), I just said "Yep, you're exactly right!" and then she skipped on down the stairs. It kinda makes me feel bad that we've had so many little issues with cleaning her room lately.

And then today, driving home from Logan, Emma and Madison had the cutest little conversation. Emma was asking me how old different people are and when they got married. Then it went like this:
Emma: Madison, how old will you be when I'm eight....when I'm 11.....how about when I'm 16.....
Madison: Emma, I'm just two years older than you and that's all. So I'll always be two years older than you.
Emma: So you're gonna always be bigger than me. I just KNOW you're going to get married first.
Madison: Probly so.
Emma: Well who are you going to marry?
Madison: I don't know, I don't have any boyfriends to marry. I guess I'll have to figure that out when I'm about.....12. (She was totally serious--talk about scary)
Emma: Yeah, or maybe when you're 16.

Silence for a minute or two.

Emma: And then I'll get married after you! And I wonder what baby will come down first. I hope it's a cute one. But it probably won't be a black one.

(Oh boy--where is this going....)

Madison: Well if you marry a guy that is black than your baby probably will be black but if you marry a white guy it will be white (duh).
Emma: Yeah, it will probably just match. And it will be cute cuz all mom's think that their babies are cute.

By this time I was cracking to pieces as I was listening. Just then we pulled up next to by brother-in-law and he saw me busting up, which made me laugh out loud, and that was the end of the conversation. Darn it! I was really enjoying it. I need to put a little tape recorder in their room and turn it on at bedtime. Madison is already just too rational. Pretty soon they'll both be too smart to have these chats.

So Yay for Spring Break! Even when we have absolutely nowhere to go and nothing to do--even when the weather is freezing and we don't want to go outside--it's just fun to be together (at least for me, it is).

Cowboy Isaac

Anyone who has come to our house at all in the past couple months knows that Isaac is always naked. He cannot and will not leave his clothes on. I think I remember saying in a post once that luckily he doesn't know how to take his diaper off....well he's working on it. I'm sure he'll have that off pretty soon. He's always yanking and pulling on it until it looks like a big heavy string bikini (see below). I really wanted to wait until summer to start the potty training thing but it looks like I might have to start sooner. Wish me luck!

A Few Things I'll Never Forget

Dear Madison,

Ever since your eighth birthday a few weeks ago, I've had memories floating to the surface--memories from 8 years ago until now and in between--yet they all seem like yesterday.....

For example, when you were a cute, tiny, pink newborn. You were our first baby, and the first grand-baby as well! You brought such excitement for your entire family! You always had someone holding you, smiling at you, spoiling you...some of my favorite memories are during the first 6 weeks of your life when I was on maternity leave from school, when I got to sit and hold you and play with you all day and do nothing else! It was just you and me! I was so sad when I had to go back to work, I blinked back tears at school for days--but I was happy because you got to be at home with Dad a lot of the time while I was gone, and I knew he was keeping you just as happy. And Grandma kept you happy the rest of the time. The newborn days were so short but so sweet!

Playgroup days were so fun! Whenever I think about you and your cute friends (plus Emma since she got to tag along most of the time), playing and learning like 3-year-olds do, I just smile. It was so fun watching you go all over the place together--to farms, airports, fire stations, grocery stores, and everywhere....Don't you wish you could go back and do it all again? I wish you could, just to see my 3-year-old Madison again!

This is your first day of Kindergarten. I put you on the bus and then followed the bus to school and watched you walk inside (since you wouldn't let me take you in myself) and then I cried the whole way home. You looked so tiny to be going to school already. Now you look so big--how did that happen so fast?

And here you are, eight years old, on your Baptism day! This day will float up in my memories forever as one of the best! You counted down the days for weeks, and finally it was here! We had your hair done so pretty (thanks Amber!) and you twirled around in your beautiful dress all day. We had pictures to take (thanks Steph!) and food to prepare, but also time to just relax and enjoy the morning. It was sunny and warm outside and the flowers that Dad bought for you made it seem even more like Spring.

Emma was as excited as you were, I think! She watched everything that you did and imagined her own baptism day to be exactly the same! She said "I'm even going to be extra nice to you from now on so that you can Choose the Right and not fight with me." I am so glad you and Emma have each other and can be such good friends.

And Isaac just knew it was going to be a fun day!

Almost all of your aunts, uncles, and cousins were there, your Primary leaders and teachers and lots of your friends! Aunt Pam played the piano, Mylan sang so beautifully, Katie and Uncle Eric gave talks, Grandma and I said prayers, and Dad baptised and confirmed you. And everyone else just filled the room up with love, which is why my tears wouldn't go away. (Thank you, everyone!)

I wish I had thought to take a picture of you with your friends before Rylie left! But we remembered right at the end so Julisha, Lindsey, and Sydney stopped by our house just long enough to get a picture. Did you notice that these four good friends are the same ones from the Playgroup days? Wow, how time flies!

These are just a few of the things I'll never forget. I guess it's allright that you're growing up so fast, only because I am more and more proud of you the older you get. I can tell you already have the beginnings of a strong testimony that will grow and grow along with you. You have always been such a good example to us, but especially on your baptism day. Just watching your excitement reminded me of how blessed we are to be members of the only true church! Thank you for your good example, for making us laugh, for putting up with us as we try this parenting thing out on you....and for just being you! I love you!

Love Mom