Growing Up Stories

I have no idea why "growing up" stories about my children and nieces and nephews are running through my  mind., but I think I'll jot them down so I won't forget.

Casey used to count to ten like this: One, two, three, baba, six, seven, eight, nine, ten.

When Robert was three he was walking around the pool with Nannie (my mama) who cannot swim. While he was leaning over to get something he fell in -- the DEEP end!! He kicked and paddled his way to the side and said, "Nannie, I fell in!" "Yes, Robert, you did." "Nannie, I swimmed out!" "Yes, Robert, you did." "Nannie, are you all right?" "No, Robert, I'm not." He never did have to have swimming lessons.

Kelly used to run in terror from the dogs, and then when she got inside the door would huff and spit and snort like she was letting them have it!

Leigh used to take control outside by saying, "Don't worry, Nannie. I'm charge of the dogs."

Once I was working on my brother's computer. His son Zack asked if people could get into his computer now since they had internet. I explained that yes, people could get in, but they would have to be very smart and know exactly what they were doing...like a genius. Zack said, "So, you could do it?" He's owned my heart ever since :)

Ashley used to want the aircon dink dink on when it was very hot.

Robert did not like the windshipers--they got on his nervous.

Josh (if you can believe it) was running around like a wild man one morning. I asked if he had lost his mind. "No, ma'am. I left it in the closet!"

Kathy, Pam, and I took our girls to a summer class in dance and gymanstics. We stood outside the door to see how it was going. The door flew open and Kelly shot out like a lightning bolt! A few days later when one of the girls asked her about it, Kelly said, "That was a long time ago. I'm over that now."

Karissa, the baby of my sister's children, used to get out of doing chores by telling her older sisters, "Leave me alone; me happy." We still say that!

Kecia's favorite elementary school game was Drop the Hanktifice.

Lauren once ran the three wheeler into a tree because she was "showing someone what it felt like to be stared at." She has the scars to prove it!

Once when Karissa was four, she sweetly asked if I would ride the golf cart with her and let her drive. After asking all the people that mattered (her parents, my parents) and getting the same answer ("If she'll ride with you, go ahead"), we hopped on. With an angelic expression, Karissa warned me to hold on ... and took me on the golf cart ride from Hades!!! She only knew two speeds -- wide open or stop...and she didn't like the stop option. I saw my life flash before my eyes!!

No matter how sick anybody else was, Leigh always had "a worse case than anybody!!!"

When Josh and Lauren were tiny, they had slept with me while Robbie worked. I got up before they woke up and was getting dressed. When they started to wake up and stretch, Josh looked over at Lauren, put his arm around her, and said so sweetly, "Good morning, weetheart." That still brings tears to my eyes.

Whether because he did not want us looking at him, or because he wanted our complete and undivided attention, Robert's unique request was ,"Turn your eyes around!"

We knew Kecia's school years were looking better when she came home from kindergarten one day and announced that it had been a "one tissue day" -- as opposed to having an entire box of tissues at her desk!

Lauren had two dreams in her early years -- to have braces and to wear a knee brace with a hole on the kneecap.

Whenever she saw a policeman, Casey would say, "Pweesem!! Hit the floor!!"


Oh my gosh, there are so many more!! I'm so thankful for those precious, hilarious memories -- and for the vocabulary we have adopted from all our babies. Those words and phrases bind us together as a family. We'll celebrate Thanksgiving at Mama's on Sunday, and I'll bet that at some point during the day, one of those "Campbell Kid" phrases will be used...and we will remember all over again.