Funny Stories

Family and friends who know me well are aware that I LOVE to tell stories but I'm only sort of good at it. I often give way too many details that in my mind are totally important and most everyone else could probably do without. Marty Rudd likes details. My mama likes details. So far, these are the only two people who have validated my method of telling stories. Anyway, here's some fun stories...mostly about Patrick.

At the end of October, we celebrated McKenna's 18th birthday at the Brunson home. When Kenna was finished opening presents from the family, she showed us the gifts she got from friends at her party the night before. Patrick was wandering about on the floor and was very interested in the tissue paper and most especially in Kenna's candy. He helped himself to an open bag and took off with it. Katie ran after him and once they were both out of sight, we hear Kaite bust up laughing. I ran over to find Patrick hiding himself in the floor length curtains in the dining room with that bag of candy. Luckily, he hadn't figured out how to open the bag. How is it that a 20 month old knows what candy is and knows that it's worth running away and hiding with?

Also within the first week of November, as I mentioned in my last post, Patrick's vocabulary has really picked up. I mentioned a few words that he's started to say but I think I neglected to mention that he says poop now. The first time Scott and I heard him say it was at the dinner table one night. Sure enough, he was actively pooping when he said it. With any luck, this kid may be ready to potty train at age 2. *oh please oh please*

At dinner on Thursday night, Patrick touched our server on the boob. I said, before even thinking about it of course, "Patrick, you've got to at least buy her dinner first". My parents, Scott and the waitress all started laughing, luckily. Then I said, "I'm so sorry. That was a little inappropriate. I apologize. Why did I say that. It's ok, we'll make sure to tip you well" and then paused for a moment, realizing what I'd said...yeah, that didn't make it any better. Of course everyone continued laughing for a moment.

At church yesterday there was a lady who was working with us in the Primary (where the children go to learn about Jesus and sing songs) and she was "released from her calling" which is the Mormon way of saying that the leadership of our "ward" (our congregation) felt that she might benefit and everyone else might benefit by her doing something different. I asked her what her new calling was and she said "I guess I get to work with dead people" to which I asked "so, you're taking care of funerals in the ward and stuff?" She said "no, even more dead than those people, I'm doing family history". I laughed and said "I felt like we were playing hot and cold there for a minute". Hot and cold is where you keep guessing and as you get closer to the right answer the person says "warmer warmer" and she said, "well, I suppose in this case I would say 'colder....colder'". I hope that is as funny in writing as it was in person...maybe you had to be there.

Now for something cliche "live. laugh. love"

Until next time...

Don Patricio, Luchador!

Last August we took a trip to Mexico to celebrate my brother Brent marrying his soul mate Ana. It was an amazing week in Tulum staying in a home right on the beach with my family. We were bummed that the resort, Dreams, where most of the wedding party was staying was VERY outside of our price range and the cost to visit as a guest on the resort/ day was $75. That made things challenging for us considering we wanted to be there to celebrate and meet Ana's family who came from Argentina but we also wanted to enjoy the amenities we were already paying for in the beach house we rented. Anyway, I digress...we wound up having a great time in spite of feeling such torn feelings....wow...way too many unnecessary and unrelated details there...oh well. It's who I am.

So, I bring up Mexico because, during that trip Patrick started becoming very socially vocal. What I mean is, he would respond to people looking at him and talking to him with excited screams/ yells. Scott started apologizing to our taxi drivers for our loud child and said things like "he's just training to become a luchador". A new nickname was born: Don Patricio, Luchador!!! We had a fun time calling him that and he had a fun time yelling.

As of late, his language abilities have been EXPLODING. It's so exciting. I've heard people say that you spend the first 2 years of your child's life trying to convince them to talk and the next 18 trying to get them to shut up. This is all said jokingly, of course, but, there is some truth to that. Once they start...they don't stop. Buuuuut, I'll admit, I've been trying to help Patrick develop language skills, sure, I can't help it. We sing songs and read books. I talk to him in the car on my drive back from Kathie's house. When he gestures for something with little grunts I ask him to say "please".

Here's a list of words I've heard him say in the last month or so:
Please (pronounced pleeece)
Keys
Yes
No
Wow
Thank You
Dinah (pronounced Ninah)
Eat
Candy
Trick or Treat
Ball
Shoe
Nose
Eyes
Today

that's all I can think of at the moment. My favorite is when he walks around the house holding Dinah's treat bag and says "Niiiinah" in the same kinds of calling tones that he hears us use to call for her. It's just so. freaking. cute.

Last night, during his bath, he decided to lower himself into the tub laying on his back. I think he liked the way the water felt as it filled his ears because he laughed and laughed and as he came up he was pointing to his ears as he got ready to do the whole thing over again. Just. So. Freaking. Cute.

Tonight, he was pointing up to the hooks where we hang the car keys and Dinah's leash. He obviously wanted something that was up there. He started getting fussy about it because Scott was having a hard time figuring out what it was that he wanted. He then came to me and grabbed me by the leg and pulled me over to the key hooks, obviously thinking that I might be able to help him out. Guys, he's 21 months old. Is it just me or is that pretty smart? I feel like that's pretty smart.

I think we'll keep him.