Christmas memory

I was thinking tonight about which Christmases were memorable from my younger years, and remembered the Christmas when I was 15. It had been a sad year - Michael had just passed away in August, so just David, Nathan, and I were living at home. (Angela, Bruce and Staci had just moved to Texas, Alison, Quin, and Andrew had just moved to California, Matthew started his Freshman year at BYU, and Valerie had gone back to Utah State. I think that information is right anyway. It seemed like we had a lot of people leaving all at once.) The house had been really quiet, so I was so excited for the Christmas break when Matthew and Valerie would be home, and we found out that Alison, Quin, and Andrew were coming to be with us on Christmas too! We were so giddy! I remember driving around Salt Lake on Christmas Eve to look at Christmas lights, then we came home and danced to that silly record with "I'm Morris the Moose" and "Chris, Chris, the Christmas Tree" on it while we waited for the Soderquists to come. My memory is that it was almost midnight when they arrived, that we were just loud and so happy to see them, and that poor little 7-month-old Andrew was sick. I honestly don't remember much of anything after that, but the anticipation of knowing that they were coming was Christmas enough.

Our professional potty trainer

Adam learned how to use the bathroom back in October. We bought him some Skittles to use as potty treats and a new little potty that is just his size. Lindsey is going to be a professional potty trainer by the time she is a parent because she has been a really important part of Adam’s training! She likes to get his potty treats for him when he has earned them, she sits with him while he uses the bathroom, and she encourages him too. I have enjoyed seeing how much she wants to help him. Adam still likes someone to be with him while he uses the bathroom, and if I am unavailable because I am feeding Garrett or not home, he likes Lindsey to be with him. She is such a sweet, nurturing little girl.

Ethan's Halloween costume

It isn't Halloween anymore, but here is a litte story about Ethan. One of his distinguishing characteristics is that he wears his emotions on his sleeve. If he is sad we all know it, and if he is happy we all know it because energy absolutely exudes from him.

We have so many Halloween costumes now, that I decided I did not want to spend any money on them this year. Scott just pulled the costume box down about two weeks before Halloween, the kids looked through it, and they all found something they liked enough to wear. Ethan was a little pickier than Lindsey and Adam, and looked and looked through the box. At one point, he had on a Jedi robe, Batman’s belt, and knight gloves so that he could be a secret agent, but still did not seem quite satisfied. He did wear that costume to our Lewis Halloween party though. During the party Aunt Angela and Staci did some face painting. When I saw Ethan after a little while, I noticed that he had a big silver and blue “Y” on his forehead and nose. When we got home from the party that night, Ethan got this excited look on his face and said that he finally knew what he was going to be for Halloween – a BYU fan! It was fun to see him come to that conclusion on his own, and then to be so exuberant about it too. Ethan is a happy gift in our home.

I'm not his mother . . .

Justin has always been a clever little guy, and is developing a sense of humor that is so grown up. I have been on his case a little bit lately because if he is around, and I am critiquing something that Ethan is doing, Justin inevitably joins in and either repeats what I am saying, or pipes in with some follow-up comment. My response to Justin when he does this is that Ethan only needs one mother. After I say that, he leaves Ethan alone.

When we were at Scott’s work for trick-or-treating on Halloween, all of us but Scott were in his office passing out candy. I corrected something that Ethan did, and sure enough Justin joined in the correction. When I said my usual “Ethan only needs one mother”, Justin immediately came back with “I’m not his mother. I’m his mentor.” I wish I could come up with clever responses like that on the fly. Hmmm. I wonder if he had been practicing? It surprises me sometimes how quickly the kids are growing up and getting all clever on me. :)