Bloom and Grow

The conversations that Tess and Claire have with each other these days are spectacular. They chatter constantly with no adult intervention and the ideas they talk about and their diction is just so cute. Claire, who in typical little kid fashion always answers questions in full sentences, i.e., "Yes, Tessie, I do want to know what flowers do in the spring." And Tess, has a teacher's kind tone in her voice when she talks to Claire and knows to explain things different ways if she doesn't understand the first time.

Today, in the car, I said the word "bloom," and Claire asked what it meant. Tess stepped in and she and Claire had such a sweet conversation, in which Tess explained to Claire about seeds in the dirt growing and how the word bloom is the opening of the flowers and that they are still growing after the petals open. I was so struck by the sweetness of their conservation as Claire asked if red flowers bloom? Do purple flowers bloom? Do trees bloom?  And all I could think about was how my kids were blooming. Tess and Claire are getting so mature lately in the way they look, the way they see the world and people, and the way they speak. It was then that I realized that I have been snapping so many pictures of them on my cell phone this week because each time I look at them, they look older.  Here are a few pictures of my blooming flowers from my phone this week: