Oh there are so many, but as per usual I can only remember a few.. Claire used to say "prettyful" as in, "Don't I look prettyful today?" When she was 3 she would gently nudge you with a mean look on her face and say, "Did you like-a dat?" And when we would ask Annie to do something when she was 2 and a half she'd shout, "No! Never!" It was kind of hilarious although it never worked for her. She also called an elevator an "alligator" for a long time. Danielle

In school, I was quiet, never caused anyone any trouble and made good grades, altho I didn't particularly like school or study. My best friend...who I met over the summer before she started school in our little town...and we met because we both had horses, ended up being the most popular girl in school. She was well liked by everyone, had very nice parents and money...had 9 horses...and always a crowd of people at their place. Due to being friends with her, I was included in a lot more and dated a lot. We double dated all the time. My daughter was a lot like me, in that she was also quiet, no problems, and she made better grades than me... A+ in every class she took. The teachers loved her and she loved school. She didn't date but had a lot of friends...all the really nerdy geeky ones In high school she also dressed weird...and would go to thrift shops and buy the most hideous old clothes you can imagine. She went with the school to New York City one time, and wore an old black lace prom grown that was so old, it was turning purple, that she bought for a quarter at the Salvation Army, and a pair of combat boots to a Broadway play. She wore old polyeaster "old lady style" pants suits...1970's, and she would buy old 1960's hostess gowns to wear when they went out to plays, etc. I never said anything to her about the way she dressed, because she wasn't like a lot of kids today and showing body parts. I worried about when she went to college, but was surprised that when she started college, she went to jeans and same type of things that most of the other kids were wearing. She graduated with highest honors, so being weird for awhile never hurt her.

Take your son out! A few years ago, my mother passed away and I actually pulled my children out of school (5th grade and 10th) for a few days to visit with their grandmom who was very close to "the end" but had rallied for "a few good days". I am so very happy that they were able to have some time, make a last "good" memory and actually say goodbye. I know your child is much younger, so the memories will need to be reinforced with pictures, stories from you and others at the reunion and perhaps a video -- but look at this long term, he will have something to think back on when in school they bring up the subject of your family tree. (This is common in grade school, from learning vocabulary words to identifying relationships; middle school when we teach about communities and high school when we teach immigration in Social Studies and foreign languages. I know both my children had "family" used as a teaching tool, and I have used the topic in Psychology, Sociology and History classes). Also, I have known of many children pulled out of school for reasons much less compelling. Susan

Fun, did you have more than one living space growing up? We had a formal living room and a family room so the family room is where our toys were kept. However, we didn't have nearly the same amount of toys as kids do nowadays! The way our family room was laid out, there was a corner where all the toys were kept. I shared an average size room with my sister, so we didn't have much room for playing in there. I'm sure we did a bit but for the most part, we were in the family room when we were young or outside. I also can't imagine having kids' toys in every room. That would drive me nuts! Most of the houses around here have basements or more than one living area so the basements store the bulk of the toys and then the family room, which is typically open to or next to the kitchen is where the main floor toys are stashed. Having four kids has relaxed my anal tendencies but I still go a little nuts with crap laying around. The peninsula in my kitchen becomes the drop zone but I can't stand having that clutter. And dh is the worst b/c he will leave his stuff there and never come back for it but then get annoyed if I move it or ask him to. He's used to clutter from his childhood. I used to have complete order in the house b/f I went to bed, but now I'm so exhausted by then that I have slacked off a bit and then get all stressed when I come downstairs the next morning to clutter and have to clean up b/f I can function. I'm like that with cooking too - I can't start cooking unless the counters are clear, no dirty dishes out, etc. DH looks at me like I have two heads. Am I the only weird one like that? Oops, sorry, I have a habit off going off on a tangent!