Catching up

 Dear Oliver,

I cannot believe I haven't written here in almost a year! Time goes by so quickly, it's difficult to keep up. A few things I wrote down that I want to remember:

January 2020

While I was driving you to your bus stop one morning you said, "I love you Mom. You're the best mom." That melted my heart.

You had an incident where you learned at school about stereotypes. Your teacher gave the example that all black people are lazy is considered a stereotype. You were then explaining this to a friend on the bus on the way home and some black girls heard you and thought you were saying all black people are lazy. They were hurt and defensive. One of these girls is in our ward. This ended up being a good teaching opportunity for Dad and me to help you understand a little about racism and treating everyone with kindness and respect, even though you weren't intending to be racist or unkind.

April 2020

Dad was getting ready to go somewhere and had his phone. You said, "Dad, you'll need your charger. Your phone is at 6% - not enough for your big conversations." I thought that was funny.

June 2020

Dad taught you guys about the word "succor" in the scriptures and how Jesus is able to succor us because he knows what pain we have experienced and has suffered it for us. Your penis was hurting (I think one of the twins may have jumped on it) and you said, "I want Dad. He succors me. You're not a boy. You don't understand." Good point.

I overheard this funny conversation between you and Josh. Josh said, "My throat wants more water but my tummy is too full." You said, "What does your heart want to do?" Josh said, "It's just minding its own business pumping blood!" This describes you and Josh pretty well. He is more logical and you lean towards feelings.

July 2020

Instead of saying "Good idea" you and Josh say, "Idea good." 

You spent two weeks with Grandpa Chell and Nana Dot in CA. While talking to you on the phone I said, "We love and miss you Buddy." You said, "I know. It's not really anything new." I thought this was amusing.

August 2020

I overheard this between you and Josh: You said, "Jimmy is a traitor." Josh said, "Yeah, he traded happiness for anger."

You said to me, "Mom, you're not really into fashion, are you?" Later you asked, "What would you describe as your style?" I told you "simple and comfortable."

October 2020

Halloween came and went. We went trick or treating at Pacana Park and only to Cindy and Rocky Acord's house on Halloween night. You were Spiderman again at Pacana and a hotdog on Halloween night. The hotdog was your idea and I really liked it.

I came downstairs and heard the tv on one morning. This was concerning because we have a rule of no tv before school on school mornings. Before I could open my mouth, I saw you with Love, sitting on blankets in a little cat home type of set up and you had calming music for cats with anxiety on youtube on the tv with pictures of cats cycling through. It made me smile. I love that you love animals. 

Lately you LOVE Amy's lentil soup from a can.