Monkey See, Monkey Do

Last night we came home from Gail and Dan's house (spent the afternoon with them for Conference and dinner) and got the babies ready for bed and let them play for a while. Isaac, who is learning lots of tricks to walk and NOT walk, was walking across the living room carpet when he got going too fast (almost running) and tripped on his feet. He belly flopped on the floor and turned towards us, the tears on their way! Trying to intercept the tears and encourage the walking, Dave and I started to clap and cheer. Isaac's face transformed, and he started to cry/laugh and crawled over for hugs.

Abby had been sitting on Dave's lap the entire time, watching the whole exchange. Suddenly, she got down off Dave's lap, walked along the sofa as fast as she could, past me and down the rest of the length of the sofa, until she got exactly perpendicular to where Isaac had fallen. She laid herself down on the floor, put her head on the ground, and looked up expectantly. I started to laugh, nodded to Dave to look, we smiled at each other and then started to shout and cheer. She got up, laughing, and crawled over to us as fast as she could for her hugs.

I still laugh just thinking about that look on her face and the fact that she didn't waste a SECOND in repeating what had gotten Isaac the desired attention a few moments before. They are both smart little kids! I just feel so lucky and so overwhelmed to be their mom and think about all the things I need to teach them. But in the meantime, I am having a LOT of FUN with these two.

I was singing, "There is Sunshine in My Soul Today" while I changed Abby's diaper this morning. She started to SING ALONG WITH ME. I think she has attempted singing in the past, but it didn't sound like singing to me. This time, it totally did! She has officially joined the Chaffee Family Singers! Now I have TWO singing/dancing fools. I decided that since Heavenly Father knows I didn't get a husband to dance with, sing with, and perform with me, he sent me children who will instead. And someday, mark my words, we're going to convert Daddy, too! ;-D

P.S. -- This is the story's shortened version from Facebook. Might come in handy when I'm doing memory books for the babies.

Scene 1: Isaac, learning to walk, gets going too fast, trips on his feet & lands on his stomach. Dave & I, trying to encourage walking & intercept the tears, start to cheer. Scene 2: Abby, perched in Dave's arms, climbs down, walks ...as fast as she can along the sofa, turns around, lays down on her stomach & stares up at us. We both laughed & started to cheer! Oh the things our kids pick up on -- or don't! ;0)