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!

1.9.11

After a hike with Hélène....our reward!

1.8.11

Xander...

1.7.11

Sunrise...courtesy Tom's blackberry

1.6.11

Another beautiful sunset...
I love nights like this with low, rippling clouds highlighted in yellow, pink and blue.
So gorgeous....

1.5.11

Leaving work....gorgeous sunset.

1.4.11

Sometimes I'm overwhelmed by how lucky I am to work here...

1.3.11

Dean seems surprised at his own success during a rousing game of Operation.

1.2.11

Jack skates by...

Dean & Me

1.1.11

The boys with Lauren.

Twenty Years

Twenty years ago today I arrived in this city with my little dodge packed to the gills and my head full of dreams.

I'm still here....

I'm not doing what I came out to do but I love the way my life has turned out.

This has been one hell of a ride and it's only getting better....

Something Sweet

My photo was posted on the truffle girls website today.

Have a peek.

Note from the Universe

Every day I get a note from the Universe, delivered straight to my inbox.

This was today's:

Sometimes it just sneaks up on you, Kelsi, doesn't it? You don't even see it coming. Suddenly and without warning, you're surrounded by the best friends you've ever known. You're waking up in the mornings just "dying" to get into the day. There's a lightness in your step and a gleam in your eye. Your thinking is new, your laughter frequent, and you're drawn to tears whenever you hear happy tales. You're on a roll, so it's not like you're thinking about it, but if you were to think about it, you wouldn't know what's gotten into you, nor would you recall just when. You'd only shake your head whenever you thought of how quickly everything can change... Just something to remember the next time you don't see something coming. By the way, you row my oars -
The Universe

Today is my 41st birthday. Last year, as I faced my 40th birthday I was also facing an impending job loss (though the official notice took months...) and a crisis of confidence, of sorts. I wanted to do something more creative but I didn't have the background. I loved taking pictures but didn't want make it my business. I liked to write but I didn't like to be told when to write or what to write!! So I did Mondo Beyondo and Inspired Work and I made my lists and I opened myself up to my largest hopes and dreams. I remember sitting at my desk one day and deciding that I needed to write down what kind of boss I wanted and what kind of team I wanted to work with. I wrote the following words: Inspiring, Creative, Collaborative, Innovative, Challenging. Now? I'm there. Is it because I made a list? Would it have happened anyway? Or does my openness to the possibilities actually bring the possibilities to me? There's no way of knowing. But it certainly didn't hurt, did it? I feel so incredibly blessed - by the opportunities I've been given, by the people in my life, by the love that surrounds me. If this can happen after one of my hardest years in which I felt directionless and helpless....what will the future bring?

09/20/10

Music to my ears....Dean playing piano for fun.
The best birthday present he could give to me.