Talmage Turns 20!

Age 4

Age 6

Talmage turns 20 this week! Here is all about Talmage small:

Talmage's traumatic first haircut--no time for anything but a buzz

After being a little fussy as a baby, Talmage was pretty calm as a toddler. He always had his thumb to comfort him when he was feeling upset--my only child to suck his thumb. He was ambidextrous with his thumb-sucking--either thumb would work. He also loved his blanket; he was our Linus. The downside was sucking his thumb made him more prone to getting sick. Although I tried various methods of getting him to stop--prizes, painting his thumb with something nasty, a glove at night--nothing worked until he was about 8 and decided he was ready.

Saddest face ever, about 1 year old

When Talmage was 21 months, I wrote, "Talmage is starting to talk more. He says, "Zanna" and "Everett!" "Talmage loves to explore and get into things. Cooking can be very difficult when he is in the kitchen because he moves his chair all around and will get into anything left out like eggs, garbage, salt, etc. He is possibly our busiest child as far as getting into trouble. He excels at dumping. He loves to play at the sink and can make a big mess with the water while having a great time. He's also fairly coordinated so lids can be taken off without much trouble. He loves to squeeze ketchup, etc. and see it coming out. He has a major sweet tooth. He likes to forage for leftover candy in his brothers' rooms and has a talent for sniffing it out. His brothers have started closing their bedroom doors so he won't get into them when they're gone."

Talmage dumping books

In Germany with faces painted at kindergarten for Mardi Gras, age 3

One summer day Talmage disappeared. I couldn't find him anywhere. I got everyone to help me look and we looked for what seemed like an hour, maybe more. Finally we found him in the front closet where he had decided to take a nap.

Something Talmage absolutely hated was getting his hair cut which was a challenge since he had plenty of blonde hair. Scott would put him in a headlock while I shaved his head as quickly as I could and Talmage would scream the whole time.

Age 5 at Susanna's chef birthday party--making a mini-pizza

Right before he turned 2, I wrote, "Talmage loves to be outside and enjoys watering with the hose although he doesn't like being 'helped'. If Sister Louw (our neighbor) is outside, she will help Talmage find a worm and he will bring it to me saying, "Yook, Mom, nake (snake)!" Later that summer I wrote, "Talmage loves to go swimming in the pool and loves to play Ring around the Rosie and jump up and down. I have to watch him very carefully to keep him from drowning since he's prone to being a little too brave."

I love this picture taken when Talmage was 2. We went to Washington State and Puget Sound is in the background. Susanna and Talmage were good buddies, 20 months apart in age. One activity they enjoyed was playing library in Susanna's bedroom with the books in the house. They made signs inviting people to look at the books.

Age 22 months

When Talmage turned six, I wrote, "Talmage has figured out how to tell time from a non-digital clock all by himself which is better than some of his older brothers can do right now. Talmage is learning how to play the piano. I have been teaching him at home like I taught the other children and he is doing well."

Talmage wearing a Father's Day tie he made at Primary

A Mother's Day card from nursery--one of my favorites, almost 2 years old.

Talmage in Nauvoo, 2007, age 5

At age six:  "Talmage is a very loving child. He enjoys being held and would gladly be held more in church if I weren't busy with Mindy and Camille. He really likes me to pray with him at night instead of Scott and also makes sure to tell me, "I love you very very very very very much." He counts out the number of 'very's.'"

I am glad I wrote that down because I had forgotten all those things. We love you, Talmage!

2004, top of the Conference Center in SLC which we toured after Lincoln's baptism.

At Everett's baptism, age 4