Archive for the ‘conversation’ Tag
November 23 2009
A morning exchange with Jedi, after a brief discussion about friends and family and how one shouldn’t be mutually exclusive from the other:
“Is Abby your friend?”, I asked as he’s standing in front of me, still dressed in his camouflage pajamas, his hair a mess of sweat from jumping on the bed.
“She’s my sister.”
“Yes, she is, but she can also be your friend.” I could see him thinking it over, so I pressed on. “Am I your friend?”
“You’re my best friend.” At which point I wanted to fold him up and hide him in my pocket forever and ever, sweat and all. Instead, I pulled him in close and whispered, “you’re my best friend, too.”
“Is Daddy your friend?”, I continued.
He shook his head yes.
“Is Abby your friend?”, I tried once more.
He shook his head yes again.
Then last, but not least, “Is Buzz your friend?”.
“No. He’s just my brother.”
Ah, brothers. Can’t you just feel the love?
November 02 2009
Kids. It’s a cliche, but it’s true; they really do say the darnedest things.
Jedi has the kind of gregarious personality where I think he would have been fine if we forgot about most candy this Halloween and instead focused intently on getting to know everyone. The boy will talk to whoever will listen, and will sometimes talk even if you won’t.
Dressed in their soft-muscled costumes, the boys rang a doorbell of a porch-lit house. We waited a minute, without response. “They must not be home”, we conceded. “Or busy.”
As we were walking away, a woman opened the door. Jedi ran back across the leaf blown yard, happily erupting in “trick or treat!”. With his goody bag stretched wide, he chimed without filter, “We thought you were going potty!”
The woman smiled politely before letting out a laugh at his GI Joe masked exuberance. Because really, what can you say to that?
A few steps down, after knocking on the door and receiving a handful of bite sized chocolate, Jedi pokes his head inside the open house.
“I really like your furniture!”, he brightly exclaims.
“Oh, well, um, thank you”, she offers, surprised. “Most kids don’t notice the furniture.”
Most kids are not Jedi, I thought. Although maybe they should be, because he’s a pretty rad, funny little boy (if I do say so myself). Even if he has given me a lesson in humiliation over the years.
September 29 2009
In regards to yesterday’s entry, I feel as if I may be giving the wrong impression. You see, I know absolutely nothing about cars. I’m not even interested in learning anything about cars. As long as we have a reliable form of transportation, one that gets us from here to there without stalling in the middle of a busy intersection, that’s enough for me.
I just didn’t want anyone to assume that I went to a car show this past weekend because I was all OH! CARS! Let’s go check out those engines! Alas, while J is a typical male and does enjoy such a thing, the main reason we went is because I maybe had a touch of I AM GOING CRAZY GET ME OUT OF THIS HOUSE NOW OR I WILL STAB YOU and nothing else was going on. I figured it would be a good photo opportunity, anyway.
I am, however, attracted to sparkly and shiny.
To prove that I wouldn’t know a specific car if it was right in front of me, on our drive home J began to reminisce about his cherished El Camino’s. I should know El Camino’s because J loves El Camino’s. By the way he talks, I think the man is more fond of El Camino’s than he is of me. They are his car (’69 thru ’71 only, of course).
“They didn’t have any El Camino’s at the Car Show”, I threw out, off-handedly.
“What?”, J asked, apparently surprised.
“Did they have an El Camino at the Car Show?”
“Yeah,” he laughed, “you took a picture of it.”
“I did?”
Why yes, turns out I did. It was red. And shiny. El Camino’s? Not so much. Red and shiny? By golly, now, that’s pretty!
August 19 2009
For the most part, Jedi is a really good kid. Of course, he has his 5 year old tantrums and quirks, but he can be the extra set of hands that I wish I had. However, sometimes it’s like pulling teeth.
“Hey Jedi, can you get that for me?”
“What?”
“That, right there.
By the couch.
Between the couch and the computer.
In front of Abby’s penguin.
There.
Right there.
In front of your face.
Look down.
Down. On the floor.
You’re almost stepping on it.
Right there.
Look where I’m pointing.
RIGHT. THERE.”
“This?”
“YES.”
And then sometimes, it’s just easier to do it myself.
August 10 2009
During one of our recent phone conversations, my mother and I were discussing the happenings of the kids. To be honest, most of our discussions usually center around the kids. Kids kids kids. I need to get out more.
On this occasion, between one child barking an obscenely shrill order and coaxing Buzz off the kitchen counter that he’s scaled for the upteenth time, I was informing my mom how Abby has mastered the art of strutting like it’s her business. So well, in fact, that she’s practically running.
Mom: Have you taken a picture of her walking, like down the hallway?
Me: I’ve tried, but they come out blurry.
Mom: Too bad you don’t have one of them moving cameras.
Yes, mom, moving cameras. Did you know that film comes in color now, too? Technology these days. There’s even this thing called digital. Which you UPLOAD. On a COMPUTER. It’ll BLOW YOUR MIND.
Because apparently, she’s still living in the 1940′s.
I'm Crystal. A 30-something mom to 3 young kids living in the Midwest USA. When I'm not chasing my children, I'm a freelance writer and web designer. I like to tell stories from our days and share what we enjoy...
