Aleah's Life

Notice the Cute Scarf Aleah's Mom Made Her For Christmas!

One morning about a month ago while Aleah was cuddling with me in bed she held up three fingers and said, "I love you this much." Thanks... Then she held up TEN fingers and said, "I love Brian THIS much." This conversation has been repeated multiple times. "I love you this much (hands 6 inches apart) but I love Brian this much!" (arms all the way apart) I told Aleah that it wasn't very nice to say that and she almost started to cry and said, "But I love him sooo much." A few days ago she was talking to Brian and told him she liked him because he was gone more. I knew it but I am impressed that she figured it out too. Honestly, he is more fun to play with too.

This month Aleah decided to become a CAVER. She was looking Brian's little rock identification book and saw some precious stones and told Brian she wanted to find that kind of rock. He responded that she would have to go underground to find them. So she decided that she would be a caver and explore caves. She plans on living in caves, trading other cavers rocks for food and bringing a dirty blanket and pillow ("'cause you know it's dirty in caves!" laugh), a flashlight, batteries and rope. She had decided against having children because "you might drop them" or they might fall into the water but has reconsidered the possibility after Brian said he would watch her children while she went caving. She is excited to have us visit her in her cave. She cracks me up. She literally talked to me about it for over an hour just today. We are planning on visiting some local caves this summer.

Aleah also complains that Emily gets to do everything. This happens when I am nagging Emily about practicing the piano and recorder and memorizing spelling words, multiplication facts and state capitals. AUGH! Anyway, all of that (sometimes negative) attention Emily gets was wearing on Aleah so now we do math -- Rock Math. For example, if you find 5 rocks (hold up 5 fingers) and you give 2 of the rocks to Brian (2 fingers go down) how many rocks do you have left? 3. The fun never ends! It has also motivated Brian to start working with her on the violin. They are just doing laid back short practices and she is doing well. Before she decided to be a caver she was planning on living in Ames. Why? "Because that's where the violin shop is!"