German Shepherd Shark

We visited with Grandma and Grandpa B this weekend.  They have a new ten-week puppy.  She is sort of in her licky-nippy stage right now.  "It's like a shark attack!" giggled A.

Latest April Photos

I asked him to imagine that someone was stealing his treasure.















M was helping him to swing. I think A is wondering just how high in the air he is.








A enjoys hiking with his friends.

















Probably not the best picture of A, but he looked like a painting with the sunlight bouncing into his hair.

Musings of Parent Who Still Believes in Magic

I think what struck me was the way he said, "It would have worked.  The pirate [a puppet] would have been born with wings and a real hand instead of a hook."  So there was something else going on in his head, too.... 

I think my problem is that as a Neo-Pagan, on one level I do believe in something called magic (but it doesn't work the way it does in the cartoon), and last night wasn't the time to articulate that ... 

And also, the scene reminded me of this one gonzo play where one of the characters is relating how, as a child, she went to a play of Peter Pan where, despite the titanic efforts of the audience to clap like mad, Tinkerbell dies and Peter Pan accuses them all of not trying hard enough.

Ah, the trials of a theatre major disguised as a physics major as a psych major disguised as a computer guy disguised as a stay-at-home dad. 

Cleaning for Real

Scene:  Inter-video Living Room Cleaning.  J and A have just finished brushing teeth.

J:  "Come on, A -- M has reminded us that we need to clean the living room."

M:  "The pirate's on the floor, and your doctor bag is scattered everywhere, and I see your trains, and Gordon."

J:  "So we need to clean up and then we can watch a little more Sword in the Stone."  

A:  "I've got an idea..." (runs into bathroom)

M:  "What's he... (as he realizes there's going to be a replay of the Higidus Figidus scene)

J:  "I'm getting out of the way."  (M and J take seats on the sofa while A returns with a sink stool.)

A (standing on stool and waving hand):  "You guys, you're supposed to stand up."

J & M (smiling, getting up):  "OK."

A (making mystic passes and waving hands):  "Higidus Figidus ...  You're supposed to dance."

M (walking out of the room as if he were a dancing book animated by Merlin the Magician):  "OK."

A:  "...prestigitarium.  You're supposed to pick things up."

J (laughing)  M:  "Oh no!  That's not how it works; we're not going to be your servants.  What if I wanted to sing 'Hockity Pockity?'  (jostles A off of stool, waves hands)  Hockity pockity wockity whack!'  Now you have to clean."

A (turns red, starts crying)

J (channeling love-mom):  "Oh bud; it's really fun to watch videos of Merlin cleaning up with magic... but (realizes he's about to say...)"

M:  "Magic is pretend."

J:  "I wish I could clean up with magic; that would be fun."

M:  "Oh, I don't think so; I think there'd be consequences you wouldn't like."

A:  "But I want to clean with magic."

J & M (thinking this is really cute, supressing smiles).

A:  "It's not funny.  It would have worked.  The pirate would have been born with wings and a hand instead of a hook."

(Somehow we managed to clean up -- but now J feels like he just stepped sideways out of a Faerie Tale.)

Chocolate Dreams

A (waking up and stumbling around):  "I vaguly remember I went to [the market] and I was buying chocolate.  And you said, 'What did I tell you?'"

J (transcribing to blog):  "Was that all; was there anyone else?"

A:  "That's all.  (singing)  'I'm the only one.'"

Cute. Too Cute. Way Too Cute

A (holding up red plastic heart shaped cookie cutter, makes kissing noise).

J (puzzled):  "What are you doing?"

A (repeates sound, waves cookie cutter again)

J:  "Are you kissing me and heart shapes are coming out?"

A (laughing):  "Yeah."

***

Later

A (wrapping arms and legs around J):  "You can't get away because I'm hugging you."

J (scooping up A):  "No.  You can't get away because I'm hugging you." 

A (squeezing J's neck in vice-grip):  "No.   You can't get away because I'm hugging you!"

J (getting louder):  "No.  You can't get away because I'm hugging you!!" 

repeat ad nausium

At the Mountains

A practices his David Bowie look.
A really wanted to stay in longer.





Later, someone suggested that A go sweep the snow.




Large sticks are always a big hit.