Friday, July 26, 2013

One, two, FIVE!

We have discovered that Aurora remembers things better if we tell her to do things in a numbered list. So we say: "One, go get your shoes. Two, put them on. Three, go get your water bottle." Normally she has trouble with doing these sorts of tasks because she gets distracted--usually before even completing the first part of the command. However, with numbering the required steps, she seems to remember she has three things to do and can generally get farther in the list. Well, I just had a hilarious (to me) conversation with Aurora that tells me she seems to like the numbered lists.

Aurora called me to her room after bedtime and tells me there's something she has to tell me....

Aurora: ONE! We don't have any presents for my birthday.
Me: That's true, we don't have any presents for your birthday yet because it's 6 months away.
Aurora: TWO! But if we did have presents for my birthday, they would be in a room and covered!
Me: Yes, that makes sense. *waits for her to continue* So is there a three?
Aurora: No, that's all.
Me: OK, goodnight Aurora.
Aurora: WAIT! Let me finish!
Me: Yes?
Aurora: FIVE!
Me: I thought you were on three.
Aurora: No, five. If we have a whole bunch of presents in a room they would be covered.
Me: Yes, we went over that...
Aurora: And LAST! We would have lots of decorations and stuff and presents...and COMPLICATED presents!
Me: Uh-huh. Goodnight, Aurora.

~Regina

Wednesday, July 24, 2013

Spiritual Conversations with a 4 Year Old

I just had an interesting conversation with Aurora that I want to write down to remember. I'm sure we'll be having more of these as she gets older.

Previously, she had asked where God lives and so I had explained a little bit about there being a spiritual world where God and heaven are and that we'll go live with Him there eventually.

Tonight, Aurora came out of her room, informing me that we forgot to pray. So I took her into her room and prayed with her and then she prayed, specifically asking Jesus to not leave her alone. When she was done, I reminded her of the verse in the Bible where Jesus said He would never leave us and then told her a little bit about how God sent part of Himself to live in us (the Holy Spirit) and that He would never leave us. Then followed this conversation (ignore any theological errors and gaps, please, I was trying to bring all this down to a 4 year old's level and I didn't exactly have time to plan this conversation out):

Aurora: But, Mommy, didn't God leave Adam and Eve when they sinned?

Me: .....Well, no, not completely. God could not walk right next to them or sit with them after they sinned but He always watched over them, always heard when they prayed, and still talked to them in response. He just couldn't be right with them. It's like when you're in your room for quiet time and the door is shut and I'm in my room. You are by yourself in your room but I can hear you and talk to you, so I haven't completely left you alone; we're just not together in the exact same place.

Aurora: Mommy, what happens when everyone goes into the spiritual world? Does the earth get destroyed?

Me: ............ Um...well...the Bible tells us that the Earth will get destroyed, but we really don't know how that will happen.

Aurora: How will it happen, Mommy?

Me: Well, the Bible tells some stories that say the Earth will get destroyed with fire, but there are lots of ways that fire can destroy things, so we don't really know exactly how it will happen.

Aurora: *looking worried* What about all the things on the Earth? Will all the things come to the spiritual world with us?

Me: The Bible tells us that God will make a new Earth for everyone. Everything that is important will be there with us.

Aurora: What about your ring, Mommy?

Me: *sigh* Aurora, what would happen if my ring got lost? Would it change whether mommy and daddy were married or whether we love each other?

Aurora: No.... *lower lip starts quivering*

Me: I'm NOT going to lose my ring...my ring is very special, but it is just something that shows others that Daddy and I love each other. Even if the ring got lost, we would still love each other very much and still be married. Those kind of important things are what will go with us. I don't know if my ring will be in the spiritual world, but Daddy and I will still love each other and you and Quinn.

Aurora: What about my glowy friend (nightlight)?

Me: Well...in the Bible, it says that God will be the sun for the new Earth. He is so bright and beautiful and shiny that there's not going to be nighttime anywhere on the new Earth...so you won't really need your glowy friend. But God knows you love it and it is very special, so maybe there will be a glowy friend there for you.

Aurora: No night? But what will people do when they get tired?

Me: On the new Earth, people's bodies won't work the same. God will make our bodies perfect. We won't need to sleep.

Aurora: *yawn*

Me: OK, Aurora, bedtime.

Friday, July 5, 2013

Tooooo Haaaww!

Quinn still nurses several times a day. This evening as I was putting him down for bedtime, he asked to nurse. As soon as his lips touched my skin, he jerked back and exclaimed, "Too haw!! TOOOOO HAAAAAW!" (too hot). Then he nursed normally.

I switched him to the other side and once again, he jerked back and exclaimed, "Too haw!" Then he added: "Is soo haw!" and started blowing on me, as though to cool me off. He kept repeating, "Is so haw!" and blowing on me until I finally convinced him that I was supposed to feel a little bit warm!

I was nearly cracking up, but needed to stay quiet to help him calm down. Seriously, nursing a talking baby is way better than when they're little. They're just so funny and the interactions are so sweet.

(He's going to hold it against me when he's older for posting this story but I couldn't resist the cuteness!)

~Regina