Conversations with Addie

On Saturday, looking over Grandpop's Fantasy draft homework, and Grandpops explaining it to her.

Giving Grandpops her ideas... she is her father's daughter.

I am just amazed at the rate that Addie's vocabulary and her understanding of how words fit together has exploded. We talk about the things that God made, animals, the people in her life, and her "moo-dies". Driving in the car we talk about God's creation- the trees, flowers, birds, people, etc-, the sky, the clouds, dogs, cats (she is going through a phase where she wants to be a cat). We sing songs, we play games, we read stories.

She also has phases where she loves talking on the phone and then wants nothing to do with the phone. The other night while we were at Grandma and Grandpop's home, Grandpops was on the phone with Uncle Jimmy (one of Brian's brothers). Addie climbed up on the couch, got right up to Grandpops, and started calling "Hello!" into the phone. Grandpops handed the phone over to Addie and she walked away having a happy conversation with her uncle. She has also done this with my father when he was on the phone with Uncle Jim.

Sometimes, as a parent you just get silly with your child. When we do, we are always guaranteed the same response from Addie. "Silly, Mama!" or "Silly, Dada!"

During some of our school time, we play games. When there is a matching game of some kind and Addie thinks she is going too fast or it isn't challenging enough, she'll put her hand on her chin and just go, "Hmmmm." It's usually at that time that we burst into laughter and she continues just to see our reaction.

There are times when she is supposed to be sleeping that we suddenly hear a little voice burst into song. It might be "Hallelu!" or "The Wonder Pets" theme song. She also loves to dance along with the characters in her little shows.

During our potty training experience, we have had some good days and some not-the-best days. One of the not-so-good times, she had gone in her diaper (I was a little tired of carrying around the carpet cleaner). We both sat in the bathroom (she on the little potty and me on the lid of the big one) and I told her that I was sad that she had gone in her diaper. She looked at me, put her hand on my knee, and said, "It's okay, de Mama. It's okay. The Mama happy?" Can we say "Sad feeling gone" fast enough?

The sweetest conversation happened last night at the dinner table. Earlier in the day, Kristi had texted me to keep Julia, her daughter, in prayer because of a bad mosquito bite near the eye. Three different times at dinner, Addie said, "Mama, JuJu pray?" Brian and I folded our hands and let Addie pray for her little friend (who she has never actually met. She has only seen pictures.). This was her prayer (the dots represent incoherent words). "God.......... JuJu.......... eye........ JuJu....... eye......... JuJu....... eye........ Amen!"

But, out of all of these, the best conversation so far has been one that Addie had with GrandTiti on the phone the other night. GrandTiti was asking Addie what the different animals say. Addie responded with the appropriate answers for all of them. Then GrandTiti asked, "What does the Mommy say?"

"Obey!" was Addie's answer.