thinking of Grandma

My mom was holding Zeke last week when she said suddenly "This is how old Prince was when he passed away."  I looked over at her and smiled.  My dad was a little shocked and asked her why she would even bring it up.  But I understood what she was saying.  Prince was my mother's brother.  He was born and died before she was even born.  She never knew him (at least, not in this life).  My grandma never spoke about Prince but my mom talked about him often.  Her other brother, my Uncle Bob, lived into adulthood and passed away a few years ago from cancer.  Zeke is named after him and my grandpa (also Bob).  But though my mom never knew Prince, she loves him.  She still puts flowers on his little grave.  She and my dad bought a little lamb statue to place next to his headstone and every few years, they paint it so it looks new.  Yes, I've heard all about Prince.  But it wasn't until that moment, that I began to think about Grandma.  What must she have felt to lose her two month old baby many, many years ago.  He was born with a disability (I'm not sure what) and was not given a long life expectancy.  As a mother, how do you accept that?  Live with that?  And live after that?  Grandma went on to have my mother and raise her and my uncle.  She's been gone almost 11 yrs now and all this week, she's weighed heavily on my mind.  My respect for her has grown.   I look at my son and think about how my whole life has become my children.  I breathe b/c of them.  They are my great purpose, my great reward, the best things that I've ever done.  It sounds cliche, I know.  But it's true.  I think of what Grandma must have felt.  Did she think of him every day?  How did she find peace and acceptance?  I look at my little Zeke and I love him all the more.  But now when I look at him, I think of Grandma.  Funny how we don't always seem to appreciate those astounding people in our lives until they aren't there anymore.

not the Family Bonding Night I had in mind

Me: "Tonight we're going to unplug...no TV, DS, computer....we're going to sit down as a family and play a card game."
Sammy: "What?!? So we're just going to do nothing but sit in a circle and hold hands!"
Honestly, I was tempted after that remark :)

girlie giggles with my girl

Mommy: "I love you Zeke."
Isabel: "I love Zeke too."
Mommy: "yeah, we should keep him."
Isabel: "yeah, b/c he's so cute."
Mommy: "right, and we only love cute babies."
Isabel: "right"  Then she realizes what I said and looks at me.  "No Mommy, that's not right.  Oh, you're teasing."
Mommy: "yes, I'm teasing.  We love all babies."
And then we both giggle like crazy.

Sam's deep insight

While at swimming tonight, Sammy looks at me and says
"Mom, do you know why I love swimming class so much?"
Me: "why?"
Sammy: "B/c not only am I learning a life saving skill but it gets all the gunk out of my ears at the same time!  Too bad that during the night, my ears dry up and the gunk just comes back."

Well, I guess I need to learn to swim!

The Underground Railroad by Sam

Last week Sammy had a Social Studies test and we were helping him study.
Mommy: "okay, Sam, who was Harriet Tubman?"
Sammy: "I don't know."
Mommy: "She was a lady who helped run the Underground Railroad."
Sammy: "was that like the Subway?
Mommy: "no, it was not the subway."
Sammy: "I don't mean Subway like the sandwich place.  I mean Subway like where trains go."
Mommy: "yeah Sammy, I know what you mean.  It still does not mean like the subway."

On the bright side, he got an A on his test.  I don't think they asked about the Underground Railroad.

Kalen's new phrase

Kalen's speech has really progressed lately and he's saying some funny things.  My current favorite is when I walk in the door from being gone and he runs to hug me.   He exclaims "Mommy!  You're here!  You missed me!"

The Birds and Bees by Dr. Greta

To be honest,  with three brothers, I should've expected this conversation to come sooner than later but today was the day that Isabel asked the question while I'm changing Zeke's diaper.  It went a little something like this:

Isabel: "why does Zeke look like that?"
Mommy: "that is Zeke's boy part."
Isabel: "yes, I know that but why does it look like that."
Mommy: "Because boys and girls have different parts."
Isabel: "yes, I know that but why does his look like that!"
Mommy: "you know how you have an outy belly button and Mommy has an inny belly button?  Well, girls have inny pee-pee parts
                  and boys have outy pee-pee parts.  It's the way God made us."
Isabel: "oh, okay!"