Conversations with 9 Year Olds

Our conversations recently have been primarily focused on the wonders of puberty.

Jack is beyond curious about what happens to our bodies, what is sex, when do people have it and can you have it more than once.

Dean has no interest in the above and only responds with giggles and ewwwwww....

What follows are a couple of recent conversations with Jack (and Dean, reluctantly) that are worth recounting.

Conversation 1: Jack and I talking about puberty one evening before bedtime. He wanted to know what happens with girls' bodies. I was explaining that girls' bodies will change and like boys, will start to have hair under their arms and that they will start to menstruate. As I was talking I was using the correct terminology in referring to a girls' body - and when I used the word 'vagina', he stopped me with kind of a grin and said 'Mom. You can just call it virginia.'

Conversation 2: We recently had Tom's cousins, Brenda and Anna, over for a long weekend. Anna is Brenda's daughter and just completed her 3rd year of college. Tom was driving the kids home from school (alone) and Jack was asking him about sex - specifically when do people have it. Tom told him that when you love someone very much, that's when you have sex. But Jack knew that, he wanted to know the specific age. So Tom told him 21 years old. Cut to later, at our house with Brenda and Anna. Jack was sitting in the living room looking at Anna, studying her. Below is how the conversation went:
Jack: (looking at Anna intensely) Do you have a boyfriend?
Anna: (smiling) Yes.
Jack: (thinking.....) How old are you?
Anna: (really wondering where this is going) I'm 21 years old.
Jack: (eyes widen, little smile, says while nodding) You're going to have some decisions to make....

And just to highlight the difference between them, here's a conversation that took place the other night between Dean and Tom's cousin Elizabeth. Elizabeth was playing Für Elise on the piano.
Dean: I know this song. What is it?
Elizabeth: It's called Für Elise.
Dean: Ohhhh....I have a friend named Elise. If she were furry, I'd call her Fur Elise.

So there you have it.....the conversations are just as funny as when they were 2 years old, but with bigger words.

2012 Picture of the Week - Week 2

Tom and Dean playing story cubes...

Picture of the Week - Week 1

The first week of the New Year started with a bang. A trip to Magic Mountain with friends, an ambulance ride for Tom, two days and one night at the hospital, one outpatient surgery, a kidney stone named "Jo" (after Tom's ER nurse) and finally, an epic war waged against head lice.

Let's just say we're hoping that the rest of 2012 is not so crazy.

Picture of the week:
Taken at Magic Mountain as we walked from one ride to another. I loved the sunlight streaming around the framework of the roller coaster.

Goodbye Kate

Our sweet Kate died this morning. We are all devastated. She was such a good girl.
Rest in peace Katie girl.

Dancing in the Kitchen

Tonight after dinner, Dean started singing "It's a Wonderful World". So I found it on youtube and we sang along and danced in the kitchen. That was the kickoff! For the next 30 minutes, we found music on youtube and sang and danced. It was really fun.
Here's the playlist:
"What a Wonderful World"
Louis Armstrong
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SzJY96m3lkg

"Somewhere Over the Rainbow"
Israel Kamakawiwo'ole
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9FBKa-bCasY&feature=fvsr

"Crocodile Rock"
Elton John
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y2Ta0qCG8No

"Rocket Man"
Elton John
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1GAKOLOnfV4

"Tiny Dancer"
Elton John
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1GAKOLOnfV4

...yes we did get on an Elton John kick...

"Born this Way" (the BEST one to dance to!!)
Lady Gaga
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1GAKOLOnfV4

...and our song and dance evening ended with the boys doing an a capella version of Ise Oluwa Ko Le Baje O (video below courtesy Amasong)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ym0zBQNeHYU

I'm going to make this a part of our nightly ritual as it serves 2 purposes. I can introduce them to new music and it's a great family activity. Well, maybe 3 purposes...depending on the music I play considering music is often used as a platform for education or to spark controversy. Which is great as it will ignite their curiosity and give us an opportunity to educate.

1.12.11

Rolling coins....little capitalists.

1.10.11

Katie, Jack, Sarah, Dean, Ellie and Wolfie!
Katie and Sarah are old daycare friends and Ellie is their little sister who we met for the first time today!
Such great fun seeing old friends...
Love you Jeanne!