"Mamamamamama! What!"

Patrick has two new words/sounds: "Mama" (or more typically: "Mamamamamamamama!") and "What!" The "What" came from George always saying "What?" right in Patrick's face over and over as a sort of mock conversation starter. (it also makes Patrick giggle, which is the most beautiful sound in the world)

Today I had Patrick in Relief Society with me because George was giving the lesson in Elder's Quorum, and I didn't get to spend much time listening to the lesson because Patrick kept talking. Or, when he wasn't talking, he was trying to walk up the aisle to the front of the classroom. Oh well. I read the lesson. :op

Raia gave another talk in Primary today. She loves loves LOVES giving talks! She marches right up to the little children's pulpit that's in the Primary room, pulls down the microphone with confidence, then patiently waits for me to whisper to her the words that she helped pick out for her talk. Her topic this time was "Jesus Christ is the Son of God", and our "source" was abridged version The Living Christ which was published in the Friend this month. She also had a picture of the Savior with some children that she'd colored in herself to hold up as her "visual aid" (although both Christ and the group of children were colored in orange, so I don't know how well the other children were able to decipher what it was she was showing them. LOL) She had fun. :)

At the end of church she also passed off another Article of Faith. The Primary Presidency is bribing the kids with candy if they memorize an AoF, so Raia's gung-ho about memorizing them. She learns them quick too! Last week she passed off the first one with ease, because she's had it memorized for a while. ("We believe in God the Eternal Father, and in His Son Jesus Christ, and in the Holy Ghost") Last Sunday I spent about 10 minutes practicing the second Article of Faith with her, to get her started on memorizing it, then promptly forgot to practice it with her the rest of the week. When I remembered this morning to practice it with her, I asked her to recite to me as much of it as she could remember, and she spouted out the whole thing! I wish I had her memory! "We believe that man will be punished for his own sins, and not for Adam's transgression".

Errol didn't want to go to Primary again today, but the "threat" of having to sit through a Gospel Doctrine lesson instead made him more than willing to go. hehe.

For Valentine's Day George and I exchanged small gifts. I got him chocolate and a card, and he got me chocolate and a card, and some amethyst earrings! I looooooooooove amethyst! I was sad I didn't have anything purple to wear to church otherwise I would have totally sported them. :) As it was, as soon as I got home I changed into one of my purple t-shirts and put the earrings in! The kids got a new Wii game that I actually bought last year on sale for $10, and some window markers. Both saw much use today.

In SIX DAYS Patrick turns one. I'm in just a wee bit of denial about that... My last little baby... *sniff* It's supposed to be sunny, so we'll likely be heading to the zoo, like we've done for the other kids' birthdays. I'll have to charge up the camera batteries so I can get pictures of him with his birthday cupcake. *sniff sniff* I can hardly believe it.