COOP'S FIRST HORSE SHOW.............

Saturday was the kids' first horse show of the season and Coop's first horse show ever. They were both way too cute! Raelynn is so much more poised this year and knows what she is suppose to do. She still has a short attention span and no patience but she is my daughter! Coop on the other hand would sit on the horse all day long and would stand around the arena looking at people and horses until the sunset. I think he may have his father's laid back attitude. Regardless of their differences they both did a fantastic job. Raelynn received 2nd place from the first judge and 4th place from the second judge. Cooper received 4th place from the first judge and 3rd place from the second judge.




Sunday night as I put Raelynn to bed we lay talking. She says to me, "Mom, I wish money would rain from the sky and land on our roof so you never had to work again." I wanted to cry. I love that she wants me home with her! I hate that I can't be! But I also love my job! That mixture of feelings are difficult for me to process let alone explain to a 4 year old. I told her that I love every second I am with she and Cooper and I miss them every second we are apart, but also reminded her that our time apart was also good for us. I let her know that it was our time apart that really defined us and tested us and that without this time apart we wouldn't know to appreciate our time together as much. She says, "I know but maybe you could just work when I am at school?" I told her in a perfect world that would be just what I would do. She was quiet for a minute and then said, "You always say your world is perfect?" Man, does this girl miss anything!!! I told her I didn't care if I worked or didn't work as long as I had her and Cooper and Daddy I had a perfect world. She said, "my world's perfect too!" Wouldn't it be great if things stay just like this? I sometimes think I should be recording our every conversation so in 10 years or so and I am no longer everything to her, I can play them as a reminder :)

Raelynn and Coop had there first real "argument" last night. It was hysterical! They were in the living room setting up for our game of Candy Land while I finished making dinner. I heard them arguing a little and then I heard little Coop say, "I go tell Mom". Next was Raelynn, "Well I will tell her too" and so they came running. At first they both began talking but I stopped them and said, "one at a time, Coop what happened?" He says, "Tissy knock over all my toys!" The amazing thing was Raelynn never interrupted Cooper as I questioned him about what she knocked over and why. When Coop was done I turned to Raelynn for her side of the story. She tells me Coop keeps messing up the game board. Then Coop says, "Did Not!" and Raelynn says, "You did too!" and then Coop, "Did Not"......"Did too!" "Did Not!".......it was awesome. It took all I had not to crack up. I helped them talk through it and they really did a great job of communicating after we got past the "did toos" and "did nots". By the time the discussion ended they were playing together very contently. So I guess I was successful on diffusing their first argument and with practice, both them and me, hopefully the success will continue. Oh yet another stage of their development and another stage for me to fall in love with!