Silver Diner · Aug 22, 20:59
We had an amazing family dinner tonight – kinda like a movie family.
In case you don’t know, Silver Diner of late has been sourcing food locally and naming the farms it gets produce etc from. It’s always been a favorite of Champe’s, but the recent menu revamp is great.
Champe wanted mac and cheese with a grilled turkey dog and specifically requested a side of veggies (movie moment #1). Caden’s initial request was “french toast, french fries and mustard!” but we got him only french toast. The boys negotiated an idea of sharing one bite each of the other’s meal, but when the meals arrived, cheerfully passed forks back and forth the whole time, sharing much more than one bite. (movie moment #2). We had forgotten to get the drink that comes with a child’s meal, and then the boys negotiated and decided to order one each orange and grape juice, and share again, which was perfectly executed when the drinks arrived. (movie moment #4).
They both ate every bite of both plates and split and ate all the veggies. (movie moment #5) Then they discussed and agreed that next time Champe would get the french toast and Caden the mac and cheese, but share again. (movie moment #6)
They then split a chunky monkey banana shake – which they ordered – making the waiter smile. (movie moment #7)
In the car on the way home, Champe and Todd were both complaining of being full. Champe said, “I wish I had TWO stomachs!”
— LCM
The Difference Between Girls and Boys · Apr 16, 22:15
Tonight at dinner we had a conversation about what is different between boys and girls. At first Champe stated they are the same. (Good work on gender equality!)
I said, well there is something boys have that girls don’t – what is it? Champe acknowledged that it was a penis.
I then pointed out that girls have a vagina. With only boys in the house we don’t have an opportunity to cover this often.
Champe then said, “I know something else girls have.”
I said, “Breasts? Yes, grown up girls do.”
He said, “Yeah, but I know something else.”
And I am thinking oh great, he’s learning words like vulva or clitoris or something. Which is FINE, it’s just I wasn’t quite prepared…...
So I say, “What?”
And he whispers, “It’s hanging on the back of your bathroom door….”
Now, I am really confused.
And in a dramatic stage whisper he clues me in to the big thing girls have that boys don’t.
“PURSES!!!!!!!”
(And as I burst into gales of laughter, he assures me, “They really do, Mom. I promise. They do.”)
— LCM
Dead Man Walking, Sound Spelling and Rodents · Mar 1, 01:31
So we went out to dinner tonight, and since Champe is crazy into games, I decided to teach him hangman to buy time while we waited for food.
(Meanwhile Todd whispered, “Jeez, thanks for introducing him to that concept.” – referring to the name of the game. Good point, so I just focus on drawing body parts and sort of minimize the whole “noose” thing.)
So I did G-O-A-T first, knowing he would recognize it because 3 baby goats were just born at his amazing school and they’ve been doing literacy work with goats, things to do with goats, names for baby goats, etc. And he got it fairly quickly.
Next, he wanted to do one. It had three blanks and turned out to be C-A-T. Pretty good.
We did a couple rounds and when it was Champe’s turn again, he drew:
___ ___ ___ ___
After a few guesses, we had:
S ___ A ___
Then Todd guessed “O.” Champe thought for a minute and then asked, “Does “wuh, wuh” have an O in it?”
So, we guessed “W” next ‘cause we’re no dummies.
Then it was:
S W A ___
So I said, “Hmmm, it starts with swa or sway ….”
And Champe said, “Silly Mom. The “S” is the end part. It starts over HERE.” (pointing to the end everywhere but Japan.)
Ok, so this is normal for a 5 year old leftie. We keep guessing.
Turns out the missing letter is “M.”
S W A M
And the word? I can’t believe you’re even asking me. It’s so obvious. The word was “Mouse.”
Gosh, I love that kid.
— LCM
Comment [3]
Overheard Today · Feb 26, 20:41
Champe was withholding something from Caden today, purposefully, as brothers will do, mainly to annoy Caden.
Caden was chasing him and trying to get what he wanted.
Carol said, “Caden, it’s NOT OK to grab that from Champe. Use your words and tell Champe what you want.”
So Caden replied loudly and vehemently: “CHAMPE I AM GOING TO GRAB THAT FROM YOU NOW!!!!”
— LCM
Taxis to Airplanes · Jan 16, 13:18
This is a conversation Champe and I had this morning. It’s pretty typical of our conversations, so I thought I’d record one for posterity.
Scene: Sitting in the parking lot at Providence Rec center waiting for Todd and Caden. After swimming class.
Champe: What’s that police-y looking car doing?
Me: You mean the yellow car?
Champe: Yes
Me: That’s a taxi cab. Remember you rode in one in New York.
Champe: What’s a taxi cab.
Me: They pick you up and drive you places and you pay them money. They are more common in big cities like NY. DC has them, but not as many as NY, because there lots of people don’t even have a car and it’s too crowded. And some places don’t have hardly any taxis
Champe: Tell me a place that doesn’t have hardly any taxis.
Me: Wyoming
Champe: Tell me another place.
Me: a small town in Mississippi
Champe: Tell me another place.
Me: West Virginia.
Champe: Tell me another place.
Me: Africa. Well South Africa would, but lots of countries wouldn’t have any.
Champe: Yeah ‘cause they just have penguins and polar bears there.
Me: You’re thinking of Antarctica, not Africa. And yes, Antarctica is one place where there are no taxis at all.
Champe: Yeah cause they don’t have trains or cars or people or anything there. They don’t have snow or dirt.
Me: They have snow. That’s the one thing they have.
Champe: What about dirt?
Me: (trying to remember 8th grade Earth Science) Ummm, I’m not exactly sure if there is dirt or not under the ice and snow.
Champe: Well you should go there and dig a hole to see.
Me: I don’t like the cold that much, I don’t want to go.
Champe: Well what if you wore 2 snowsuits, 50 gloves, 60 hats, and one hundred thousand socks and one pair of boots.
Me:Yeah it’s not really worth it to me to do that. I’d rather someone else go to Antarctica to see if there is dirt.
Champe: OK, I’ll go, but I need to take a grown up with me.
Champe: To watch me.
Champe: Um, but what about polar bears? Are they nice or mean?
Me: I don’t know; I’ve never met one.
Champe: Well, we’ll see. If the polar bears are bad, we have to run away fast. We better keep an airplane right there that we can jump into if the polar bears are bad.
Champe: And I’ll bring a cup with me, in case I am able to dig up some dirt.
— LCM
Jump! · Jan 9, 19:27
During the big snowstorm, Todd built a snowboarding/sledding run, complete with a jump off of our back deck. Champe and Caden got to ride with him a bunch of times. Check it out; it’s pretty thrilling.
— LCM
Comment [2]
Talking Stuff · Jan 4, 12:03
My friend Jill and I amuse ourselves by talking about absolutely nothing almost every morning during our respective commutes (she to work and me returning home after dropping kids off at school). This morning she called a bit earlier than usual so I still had Champe in the car.
We immediately launched into 5 or 6 different simultaneous subjects (possible sighting of a creepy man, website launch slated for today, first day back to school, hard or not for our kids? etc etc).
When I pulled into the school driveway about 3 minutes later, Champe said, “Whew, I’m glad we’re here finally so I don’t have to listen to all that talking stuff!”
We’re pretty positive our husbands feel the same way.
— LCM
Comment [1]
Just a Kid · Mar 1, 19:38
This afternoon we were talking about what we were gonna do and Champe said he didn’t want to nap or rest. I said that I had taxes to do but I’d much rather nap, and suggested perhaps he do the taxes while I slept.
He said, “No, mom, I’m going to watch Frosty and plus, I’m just a kid you know.”
— LCM
Owls and Aliens · Feb 25, 21:52
Morning car conversation:
[Radio plays Ellis Paul’s “Because it’s There”....”
C: Mom, I’ve never ever ever been on a rocket ship. (said as though this a) something I possibly didn’t know and b) we could remedy the situation easily
M: Well to go on a rocket ship, you usually have to be an astronaut. You have to be really healthy and strong and smart and take a bunch of tests and work really hard before they let you go. Do you think you’d like to be an astronaut someday?
C: No
[pause]
C: I could just be an alien. They drive rocket ships.
M: Do you think being an alien would be easier than being an astronaut?
C: Well to be an alien you just have to wear a costume; that’s all you have to do.
M: What does the costume look like?
C: It’s all white and you wear white gloves and you have three eyes! (giggles)
M: Have you ever seen an alien?
C: No, have you?
M: No
C: Has Dad?
M: I don’t think so.
C: You know aliens are magic. They do magic tricks and they fly around at night. They are awake at night like owls. And they sleep in the day.
You know why God knew how to make owls? He knew they needed to “hoo” the other birds away.
L: Hoo the birds away??
C: Scare them
C: They need to scare the other birds from flying into their nests. The grown up owls are awake at night but the baby birds have to sleep.
C: Mom? Can you tell me what I said?
L: All of it?
C: Yes
L: (Suffice it to say that thanks to active listening, I was able to do so, and Champe said I got it right.)
C: Can you write it down tonight?
L: Sure
C: Can you remember it?
L: I think so
C: Thanks a lot, mom.
— LCM
Fifty Months Old · Nov 22, 18:00
Dear Champe,
You are 50 months old (yesterday)! The consistency with which I write these monthly letters brings a tear to my eye.
I have noticed some things about a four and a quarter year old boy. First and foremost there is a thread of aggression that can’t be denied. Fortunately, you don’t watch much TV or many movies other than very, very benign ones, so you don’t have too much to imitate. Still about 12 times a day that you are going to “pspsheeewww me in the head” (said with a shooting motion) or “shoot me to jail.” Lord only knows where this last comes from, but it’s a oft-repeated, not-yet-acted-upon threat. The funny part is that none of these things are said with the slightest malice. It’s all just a big funny pigpile of a joke to you. And fortunately I have read Raising Cain and The Trouble with Boys, so I am not worried.
And the energy! Naps are pretty much a thing of the past. Perhaps once every ten days or so. You spent today jumping off of a climbing cube into a six foot high pile of leaves your dad made. You are finally beginning to sense that there are some limits to human endurance — at dinner tonight you came over, put your head on my chest, and said, “Mom, I need to sleep a long time tonight.”
I love your relationship with Caden. It’s almost lost on you that he’s three years younger. You ascribe him all sorts of skills he doesn’t really have. You play with him, laugh with him, and get mad at him like he is your total peer. And you are as addicted to him as you were one year ago. I hope you stay this close always.
And, finally, my favorite part. At nights when I lie in bed with you for a few minutes, your competitive nature pays off in spades for me. I say, “I love you as much as all the grains of sand and all the drops of water and all the…..” and you interrupt me and say, “Mama, I love you more than the whole wide world ever and ever!
Does it still get better than this?
— LCM