John Henry

Chicken has begun this obsession with John Henry ever since seeing the Disney short video about him.

Chicken:  John Henry is a mighty man!  He is the strongest man in the world and no one else is as strong as him, not even Daddy.  John Henry is dust SO COOL!
Edee:  Ugh, not me, I don't like John Henry.
Chicken: Only boys like John Henry.  And girls with short hair.
Edee: Yes, but only girls with weally short hair.  It has to be weally short, and dey have to like, like things like vehicles and cars and stuff--
Chicken:  I like dose! I do! And rocket ships!  I weally, weally want to go on a rocket ship so bad. But I'm too scared to go into outer space, it's so so scary!  I don't want to go....
Edee:  You can't go, you have to be an adult to go to outer space.  Or a teenager!
Chicken:  I DO weally want to go into outer space.  I want to go TODAY, right now!

Did I mention we were in the car?   I'm just the driver here.  Please don't hold me responsible for their apparent stereotype about girls with short hair....I really don't know.

Apology

Chicken had a little friend over for the morning yesterday.  They were playing on the upper level when I hear yelled down from the top of the stairway:

Chicken: Mom!!  Becca wants to watch a show!
Me:  Becca wants to watch a show?  Or you want to watch a show...?
Chicken: Becca said it!
Me:  Okay, well no shows, okay?  It's time to play and I'm sure she's happy to play with you.
Chicken:  But Mom!  She weally wants to!!
Me:  No...maybe her mommy will let her watch shows when she's home.
Chicken:  But...
Me:  I already gave my answer.  Go play, please.
Chicken (to Becca):  Ugh.  I don't know why she is being like dis today.  Sorry Becca!!

The fact that he felt he had to so sincerely apologize for my behavior....killed me!  I had a glimpse of what it feels like to be on the other end of those kinds of comments.

Girlfriend

Exactly one month into kindergarten.....and we're already at this.

Edee:  Christopher told me I'm his girlfriend.
Me:  He did!?
Edee:  Yeah.

Oh my.

Later at dinner:

Me:  Are you going to tell Daddy what you told me about Christopher?
Edee (with a timid smile):  Well...uh...um.....I....uh....I.....I....uh....um....I don't want to say it.
Daddy:  How come?
Edee:  I don't fink he'll like it berry much.
Daddy:  What won't I like?
Me: Just tell him.  Daddy wants to know too.
Edee:  (more sputtering and stuttering)
Me:  Do you want me to tell him?
Edee:  (nods)
Me: Christopher told her that she was his girlfriend.
Edee:  (shrinking in her seat).
Daddy:  Oh....what did you say?
Edee:  I didn't weally say anything, but I thought, "Hey!  I'm not old enough to be a girlfriend!!"
Daddy:  Oh yeah? That's okay. How come you didn't say it?
Edee:  Because I thought maybe he wouldn't like it or want to be my friend anymore.
Daddy:  That's okay.  It sounds like you're being a good friend.  Thanks for telling me about it.

And it's only just begun.

Too Tired

Me:  Chicken, go take your toys upstairs.  Get your teeth brushed while you're up there.
Chicken: (whiny noises)
Daddy:  Chicken.  Go now.
Chicken:  I'm too tired to go upstairs.
Me:  Okay, since you're too tired you better run some laps up and down the stairs.
Chicken:  OKAY!!!

He jumps up and starts to run up the stairs.

Daddy:  What the what just happened? How did you do that?
Me:  I dunno.  Hey Chicken, on your next lap up,  take your toy with you and put it away.
Chicken:  Okay!!

He zooms off.  The next lap I ask to him to brush his teeth while up there and he complies.

One point parenting.

Groovy

Chicken:  Mom!  I don't like dis song!  Dis song is boring.

Me:  Just wait a bit. It picks up and gets better, Bud.  I think you'll like it.

Edee:  Mom you were right!  Dis song does get better.  I like dis song!

Me:  Daddy and I like it too.  

Edee:  Yeah, it's pretty groovy!!

Me: Ha ha ha.....I guess it is....

Edee:  What is dis song called?

Me:  American Pie

Edee:  Why is it called American Pie?  Why is pie American?

Me:  Well....pie is just considered an American thing.  It's a dessert our country is known for.  Other countries have other foods that they are known for.

Edee:  But why is it American?

Me:  Well...people have made it for a long time. Like as long ago as the Pioneers.

Edee:  So Mom, why are they called Pioneers?

Me: I don't know why.  Pioneer means the first people to do something....

Edee:  Maybe it's because they made pie?  Dere is "pie" in da name.  Pie-a-neers.  Pie-aneers. 

Me:  Ha, well....I don't think that's exactly why.  But good observation.

Whenever I hear American Pie I automatically have memories of driving down to the boardwalk in Virginia Beach with Jeff on a hot day--singing along with the windows down and then walking down the boardwalk a few minutes later to hear a live band playing the same song.  Now whenever I hear it, I'll also be thinking about Edee and the Pioneers. 

Birthday Suit

Just making sure I have this on the blog for posterity.  Or for future wedding reception stories.  Or black mail.

I'm cooking at the stove-top this morning when suddenly a buck-naked little boy runs into the kitchen. He proclaims (while giggling): "I'm in my birthday suit Mom!!" and runs out just as quickly as he ran in. I hear him yelling up the stairs (all the while still giggling): "I did it, Dad!!"

Yes, it was Chicken's 4th birthday that day; and yes, he's growing up to be more and more like his father.

Sore

I picked up Chicken from Joy School.

As he's getting into the car:

Me: Come on Chicken, let's get going.  Get buckled in, please.
Chicken:  Uuuuuhhhh.  I'm so sore!
Me:  You're sore?  From what?
Chicken:  From all that learning!!!

Hee hee.

Old

Edee will have her first day of kindergarten in a few days.  It's kind of a HUGE deal! First child going to school!!  We went to her orientation this past week and it went well.  She went from being mostly nervous and only a little excited, to "excited as big as da whole house!!"

After the orientation, at a friends' house:

Edee: I didn't know dat my teacher would be so young!
Me:  She was so young! (turning and talking to my friend) It made me feel pretty old!  She's definitely in her early twenties.  Long blond hair, very chic....
Edee:  Yeah mom, you are pretty old! She was, like, in her twenties and you are like, in your sixties or seventies or some-ting....
Me:  Wow.  No.  Let's get this straight.  I am in my early THIRTIES.  You have grandparents that aren't even in their sixties and seventies.

Thank you for that, Edee. I think I'm just going to go dab on a little wrinkle cream right now.

Bum

We're in the car.  I hear some reference to the word "butt" as the kids are yammering in the back.

Me:  Hey.  Let's not say that word, it's not a nice-sounding word coming from your little mouths.  You can say "bum" instead.
Edee:  Okay, you are a BUM, Chicken!
Me:  Hey wait, don't say that!
Edee:  But you said it was okay, Mom!!
Me:  No no no.  Name-calling is never okay.  Name-calling is saying something that can hurt someone's feelings or make them feel sad.  I meant if you were referring to the body part, you should say "bum"!
Chicken:  But I'm okay with that!
Me:  You're okay with being called a bum!?
Chicken:  Yeah! It doesn't make me sad!
Edee:  Yeah!  It's not name-calling, he's not sad!  You're a stinky bum, Chicken!
Me:  Edee!
Chicken:  Ha ha, I'm okay with being a stinky bum!!! I'm not sad!
Edee:  Ha, ha, ha, Big Poopy Bum!
Me:  Edee....seriously...
Chicken:  But Mom, I'm okay with that!!  It's okay, Mom.  I'm a Big Poopy Bum!! HA HA HA!

I lose.  I just....lose.