Sometimes

Josephine has been having some wild language bursts lately, and at least once a day I am startled, amused, or even outright floored by something new she has learned to say or a new way she has found to communicate with us. It's a really fun time in her development, and one that I certainly didn't take time to imagine when I was wishin' and hopin' for a little bundle of joy. Even if I had, I would never have come close to imagining how fun and cool this is.

Yesterday, Josephine really mastered the use of the word "sometimes." Perhaps she has said this word to me before and I didn't remember it, but it's most likely that she has repeated it when used by someone else. Yesterday, she used it multiple times, in its correct context, and in sentences she created independently (not just repeating whatever Jeremy or I say, which we think is also awesome and hilarious -- it always sounds better coming out of her mouth).

One time that she used the word sticks out the most. I was taking off her jammies in the morning and Cleo ran in and licked my face. Josie asked Cleo to lick her face too, but she ran out. Josie said, "Sometimes Cleo licks our face. Sometimes she doesn't."

Too some of you, that is no biggie. It's just any other sentence, and "sometimes" is just any other word. Before hearing her say it out loud, I might have felt the same way, but when I heard her say it, I was thunderstruck. To me, that sentence was so loaded with meaning and is an indication of Josephine understanding a concept I didn't even realize I wanted her to grasp.

Sometimes. As in, you might want something to happen (a dog to lick your face, perchance), and it could happen, and that would be great, or it might not happen, and that's okay, too, because hey, it's something that only happens sometimes. It's not a given. Sometimes things go your way, and sometimes they don't.

Sometimes. As in, nobody ever always or nevers. 

Sometimes. As in, yeah, maybe it seems like you and Sophia always sit together at lunch, but maybe sometimes she sits with Harper instead. It's not the end of the world, because maybe you'll sit together again tomorrow.

Sometimes. As in, the world is not black and white. That person is not always mean. That person is not always good. 

Sometimes. As in, It's okay if sometimes you make bad choices as long as you realize it should only happen once and a while, and tomorrow you can turn it all around because doing something once does not mean you have become a different person.

Sometimes. As in, the world is full of beautiful, wonderful shades of grey! Just because something is not your cup of tea, it does not immediately mean it is evil and wrong and should be abolished! Sometimes there are (and should be) exceptions, and you should think about those circumstances and consider all angles before making bold, sweeping proclamations. 

Sometimes. As in, the only thing that's guaranteed in life is that your mom and dad will ALWAYS love you. The rest? You'll have to take it as it comes, because sometimes a dog licks your face, and sometimes she doesn't. And that's life.