Little Conversations with Joseph

Since Joseph has gotten his own room, he usually gets read to separately from the other kids.  (He has been upgraded to chapter books.)  Last week, it worked out for me to be able to read to him after Samuel was asleep.  Every night when I was on my way to put Samuel down or be with Simon and Clara for a little bit, Joseph would say, "I'll see you soon, Mom.  When you come read to me, and then we can have a little conversation!"  And the following night, he said something similar, with a glint in his eye, "And don't forget... our little conversation!"  And every night, he would say something like that... really looking forward to our little chats, always with a wry smile on his face and a glimmer in his eye.

So for five nights in a row, I read to him from a book, then we had our "little conversation."  He opened by asking, "What should we talk about?"  I asked him in return what did he want to talk about.  The first three nights, we talked about loggerhead shrikes.  The next two nights, we talked about pileated woodpeckers.  He has also been saying in recent days that he wants a Pileated Woodpecker Birthday.  Another night, our "little conversation" was about hawks and other birds of prey.

Joseph has the gift of gab.  I think it is one of his greatest assets... and potentially his greatest liability!  God willing, I'll be able to guide him in using his words well!  He can also be extremely single-minded (and therefore talk and talk and talk about the same thing over and over and over!!)