Conversations With a Two-Year-Old

Setting: Driving kids home from their Mama's (Grandmother's) house. Mark and I had just finished switching their bedrooms around.

Me: "Belle, when we get home, you'll have a new room and a new bed."

Belle: "I go have a new bed in my room, Mom?"

Me: "No, you'll have a new room too. You and Anne (the one year-old) are going to sleep together now."

Belle: "Anne go sleep in MY bed?! No Mom! She no fit!"

Me: "No, Belle. Anne will sleep in her crib. You'll sleep in your new big girl bed because you're almost three years old now. You're a big girl!"

Belle: "THREE sleep in my bed, Mom?!! No, Mom! (Nearly in tears now) I want MY bed!! Belle sleep in my bed! No Joy, no Anne--BELLE!!" (Everything has an exclamation point after it when Belle talks)

Me: "Oh, Belle, it's okay. You'll like it, honey, don't worry. Just wait till we get home.... (sigh)..."

Later, at home:

Belle: "Mom, I LOVE it!! I LOVE it!! I have my BIG BED!!"

And she did love it. She fell right to sleep--no problem--in her new room and new bed. And all by herself--no Joy and no Anne--just Belle...

Real love

Last Thursday was our anniversary. We had planned a romantic getaway but, as is often the case, life happened and we counted ourselves lucky to be able to steal a couple of hours off by ourselves. We went to our favorite restaurant--a hole-in-the-wall Vietnamese place--and ordered our favorites by number since we can't pronounce the names of things on the menu.

After dinner we hurried to the dollar store to buy as many oh-please-dear-God-let-this-work toys to reward the two-year-old's potty training "efforts". We then hurried home and worked with said two-year-old for awhile, then one of us put kids to bed while the other did laundry. Then we settled down for a chat, a surprise bouquet of flowers (my husband knows what makes me happy), and a little kissing... ;)

And it made me think... This IS really what it's all about, isn't it? Not the romantic getaways (though those ARE nice every once in awhile), not the perfect evenings of strawberries and chocolate, not the cruises. What really bonds us to one another, what really makes us one is this--real life. It's the messy everyday stuff--the poop in the bathtub (been there, moms?), the never-ending remodel project, the tight finances, the kids, the laughs along the way--that fuse us together.

Our anniversary was perfect, actually. It was a perfect slice of the nine years of marriage that we are celebrating...nine years of life and real love...

Vacation Fun!

Here's a few pictures from our recent trip to Oklahoma and Arkansas to see family:

Here we all are paddling around the pond at my parents' place. This picture is entitled "How Many People Can We Fit Into One Small Row Boat?"

Anne playing in the dirt at the park in Siloam Springs--rather, Anne EATING the dirt. At almost 13 mos, I am amazed at how she STILL loves to eat sand, dirt, playdoh--and acts as if it's delicious, too!
Belle chasing the banty hens at my parents' house.
Me (holding Anne) sliding down "Pine-Needle Hill" with Joy.



Hope you all are having a great summer!