This is something I'm not seeing much of these days.

Virginia with her mouth closed. The girl can talk.

This is a brief sample of our conversation in the car this morning:

As we're leaving the driveway:
VAB: Mom, I see Buddy (neighbor's dog). Why is Buddy out?..........Mom?.....why's Buddy out?
Me: Because he lives outside, sweetie.
VAB: Why? Mom, why does Buddy live outside? Mom?
Me: Because that's where Ann wants him to live. God made the outside so that animals can live there. (not a catechism answer, that's for sure)
VAB: Why did God make it that way Mom?
Me: For his own glory. (no, really I said something like "Because he did - can we have a few minutes of quiet please?"........and I probably said that in a little bit too whiny of a tone)

(as we drive down the street, more questions........who lives there? who's that? where are we going? why do we have to go there?................and on and on and on)

At the stoplight:
VAB: Mom, why are we stopping?
Me: Because there's a red light and we have to wait our turn to go.
VAB: Why is there a red light mommy? Mom? Why is the light red? MOM!? (obviously I am not answering quickly enough.......)
Me: Because the cars have to know when to stop and when to go - Gin, didn't I ask for a few minutes of quiet? Can you ride quietly please and not ask Mommy anything? If you must say something, talk to Benjamin.
VAB: I don't want to talk to Benjamin, I want to talk to you. Why do you want quiet Mom?.........Mom? Why do you want quiet........MOM!?

This little sample only includes about one-third of all the questions asked in the three minutes it takes me to drive 2.2 miles to the church where V and B are finishing their last day of "summer splash" a two day a week MDO.

Tonight, we're beginning "quiet training."

In other news, I forgot to post John Calvin's two week check-up details.
He weighed in at 9.4 and 21 1/4 inches.

So......he's growing! The nurses seemed very impressed he was already above his birth weight. As often as the boy eats, I'm surprised he hadn't doubled it! We're barely making a 3 hour schedule, sometimes it's more like and hour and a half. We've been on a rollercoaster these past couple of days...some really good times, some really tough ones.
Most of the tough ones happen to be magnified because I'm more tired than usual, have had a headache for 6 days straight, and can't eat dark chocolate.

It upsets the baby's tummy.

I know some of you are more sympathetic than others. But before you feel too sorry for me, let me say that I'm going right now to make a chocolate/peanut butter/banana smoothie for all of us to have as a snack.

Miss Independant and Mister Calamity to follow.....stay tuned.