Is that true Daddy?

This post is about my beautiful, sweet, innocent (or so I thought) almost 7-year old daughter Brooklyn Rose Case. Or at least that's her name for now.

I've had many great "conversations" with my daughter that every father should have. We have talked about boys (they are gross even if they are cute sometimes), and older boys (she flirts with ALL the lifeguards at the VGRA pool), and future boys (she is not allowed to date until she is 23 and can be married at 24 ... I think that is reasonable but she told me tonight that Karen said she could date when she is 16 ... but I am getting ahead of myself).

"Ben (our almost 9-year old) said that when you're 18 your parents aren't in charge of you anymore, is that TRUE Daddy?"

This seemingly simple question started the LONGEST excuse not to go to bed in the history of mankind. Of course that's my fault because I had to play around with it. You see, when Brooklyn gets in a slap-happy mood her laughter is just infectious and I ride the wave that balances precariously between her getting bored (a challenge she has not yet met) and her throwing up just a little bit in her mouth (a challenge that unfortunately has come to fruition on a few occasions). Tonight, I stopped the ride just barely before the latter happened (when you are a finely tuned craftsman such as my humble self you learn that the rapid hiccups are the last manifestation before what I like to call a "snack-coming-back attack.")

Like Captain Moroni in the war against Zarahemna (from the popular seminary video that you CAN YouTube and watch whenever you like) "I cannot recall the words which I have spoken." But the gist of it was that I convinced Brooklyn that she will be marrying either Dennis Newbie (a kid in her Primary class) or Jensen Brown (Ben's good friend from our prior ward). This led to a discussion of how she could change her name to sound way cooler when she becomes a rock star (side note: Brooklyn is going to be a rock star when she grows up and so tonight I announced her name in a booming voice and she swiftly corrected me by saying "I'm going to change my name when I become a rock star" ... when asked "to what?" she could not say but claimed that she liked the name Ashley). Anyway, I suggested that Dennis would be a better husband if only because then she could take his last name and change her first name to Ruby. She said "Ruby Newbie?! That's silly!" And I said "It rhymes like Hannah Montana" and she looked at me like I was crazy. "Hannah Montana does not rhyme dad!" And so I made her say it again and again until she says "Oh ... I get it now." And then the laughter returned.

Perhaps Karen will recall more of the conversation and share it in her blog post, but I was very caught up in the moment and it is late, but it was very funny. Almost as good as the time I had Brooklyn convinced that she was a half-alien (I'm all alien and her mommy is just a normal human) and that she will eventually be able to control people with her mind (this is partially true, especially when she becomes a full grown woman) ... but that is another story for another blog ... I love you Princess Brooklyn (even if you do change your name when you are 18 and a big ol' rock star!)