I'm not usually one to brag about my babies, but...

Sometimes they really are just the greatest things ever:) Like tonight. We have been trying to spend more individual time with them lately, so tonight Amelia chose to go to the thrift store on her date with mama and Sam wanted to stay home and play trains with his daddy. So that's what we did.

Well, let me back up. The other night Joel took Sammy for a special night out. They ate somewhere I think and went to Target to spend some money Sam had from his Gee Gee. Before Sam left he promised Amelia that he would bring her a special treat when he came home. Joel said that about every ten minutes he would say something about bringing Mena ice cream. Even when they got to Target, he wouldn't go to the toy section to get his train until they had secured the ice cream for Mena! Don't get me wrong, he revels in his alone time with Joel and I. Loves it and needs it. He is and always has been, though, super thoughtful of his sister. It's just the sweetest thing ever. In fact, when they got home Amelia said, "What did you get?!" He said, "I got you ice cream!" She said, "Yeah, but what did YOU get?!" " Ice cream for you!" I clarified to him that she wanted to know which train he got and he finally told her that he got Percy and she squealed and screamed and ran to find her train to play with him.

So, back to tonight. While on our date to the thrift store (is she a girl after my own heart or what?!) Amelia first picked out these enormous rubber bugs, but then changed her mind when she found a cute floppy eared stuffed bunny that is very similar (maybe exactly the same?) as one Sammy has. She was VERY excited to find it and get home to play bunnies with him. We also found some great dinosaurs and a dinosaur book.

So, long story short. When they reunite after being apart, and especially if there are new animal toys involved, they CAN NOT stop playing and talking. It is as if they have been apart for weeks. Joel told them they could both sleep in Sammy's bed if they wanted (after breaking up some intensely fun dinosaur play to get them in bed) and that they could talk quietly for a while. An hour and a half later, he finally went back in and told them that he loved that they wanted to talk and play with each other, but there could be no more talking until the morning. About five minutes later I went in and took this picture.

Here is about a minute of video I captured. You can't see them, but hopefully you can hear a bit. I think it is a rat and the new bunny talking to each other. This is the play they engage in almost exclusively. Animals talking to each other, trains talking to each other, silverware talking to each other, dolls talking to each other...whew!

So, that's all. I just had to share. Amazing little souls, blessed to have each other (for one thing, I can pick up a stuffed mouse and be interested in talking about what kind of cheese it likes to eat for approximately 2 minutes, not twenty:) . Jen