What Dragons Like

We've been singing "Puff the Magic Dragon" this week, which seems to have replaced "MacPherson's Lament" as Felix's favorite song. It figures--"Puff" has a real downer ending, too. This morning, while I was getting dressed and Felix was playing in his room, I heard him say, "He wants to hear the song." I peeked around the corner and saw that Felix had both opened our jumbo songbook to the correct page and dragged his stuffed dragon over for a look. First I melted into a gooey puddle, then I ran outside shouting, "My god, he's only two years old!"



Later, Felix brought the dragon into the bathroom.

Felix: He likes to drink milk.
Keir: Your dragon?
Felix: Yeah.
Keir: What does he like to eat? Does he like to eat pizza?
Felix: No. (Like, duh, dad.)
Keir: Does he like to eat horsemeat?
Felix: Yeah!!

Then we went to school.

He's Already Gnawed through the Slats on His Crib

I've been too busy to post this week, but I did just want to share one important fact: Cosmo is now cutting his THIRD tooth. An upper. So those gummy nibbles are starting to get a little dicey....

Weekend Fun

A few weekends ago we took Felix downtown. It's been a while since he made the commute for school, so it was very exciting for him. We went for a ride on the train around the Loop, then went to the Bean...


And last weekend had some fun in the park...

Cosmo x 3

Montana

Finally, some photos from our Montana trip...
Can't wait for next summer!

Teeth, Lights Out, Public Transportation

On Wednesday, I discovered that Cosmo has not one, but two lower teeth coming in. I guess it's good to get it over with, but his mouth is really hurting him. He's chewing on everything in sight--except the baby bottle, which seems to feel worse than everything else.

*****

Also on Wednesday, Miss Carol, Felix's teacher, reported that, at nap time, Felix lay down on his cot--and then pulled a harmonica out of his pocket and started playing it! Everyone was very excited by this development. Both Miss Carol (who once played flute) and Miss Alex (who used to play the harmonica) report that Felix has excellent harmonica technique. (I think they mean he blows with great gusto.) I had known at some point that he had a harmonica in his pocket (it's my old one, engraved with my name, from Grandma and Grandpa McCulloch) but obviously forgot to take it out before school.

Personally, it makes me think of a prison movie, where all the inmates are lying in their bunks and some guy takes out a harmonica and plays a soulful blues number. I wonder what Felix was playing?

*****

Tonight in the bath, Felix put an 8 and a 1 together.

Felix: That's an 81 bus.

(Certain visitors to Chicago will be able to confirm that the 81 Lawrence runs from the Jefferson Park station to within three blocks of our house.)

Cosmo's First Tooth!

First, the news. Cosmo has his first tooth! I discovered it while he was gnawing on my hand (mmm...soft and gummy...ow! bitey!). I can't get a picture of it, so here is a picture of Cosmo.



On Sunday we went to the Indiana Dunes with the Davieses. Felix enjoyed catching up with his good friend Madelyn. After some time on the beach...



...they hiked up a very tall sand dune together.

Tonight, Felix wanted to be photographed brushing his teeth.

And that's the news from Lake Michigan.

Felix's Favorite Song

My repertoire of kids' songs has always been limited, but when Felix was little, I didn't think it really mattered. After all, if I sang songs about shipwrecks, hangings, and drunk Scotsmen, he didn't know what I was on about and he could still appreciate the melody.

Things feel a little different now that he's starting to understand the words. I guess I thought I would have learned new songs by now. Well, I have learned a few new ones, but he's still got his favorites.

(This from a few days ago:)

Keir: (singing) The itsy-bitsy spider, climbed up the water spout....
Felix: Daddy don't sing it!
Keir: How about "I'm a Little Teapot"? Can you sing it with me? (singing) I'm a little teapot, short and stout....
Felix: Daddy don't sing it!
Keir: Well, what song do you want to hear?
Felix: Sing "MacPherson's Lament"!

For those of you unfamiliar with this ballad, here are the lyrics (at least the version we do), which Felix can sing pretty well.

Farewell, ye dungeons dark and drear
Farewell, farewell to ye
MacPherson's life will not be long
On yonder gallows tree

Chorus:
Sing rantonly and sing wantonly
Sing dauntingly gaed he
He played a tune and he danced it round
Below the gallows tree

Take off these bands from on my hands
And give to me my sword
For there's no man in all Scotland
But I'll brave him at his word

Now there's some that's come here to see me hung
And some to buy my fiddle
But before I will part with her
I'll break her through the middle

So he took his fiddle in both his hands
And he broke it over a stone
Saying there's no man that shall play on thee
When I am dead and gone

The reprieve was coming o' the brig o' the Banff
To set MacPherson free
But they put the clock a quarter before
And they hanged him from a tree

Crafty Felix

Passing by the bakery at the grocery store yesterday morning...

Felix: You want cake.

Marya: Cake is usually only for birthdays. It's not anyone's birthday today.

Felix: Today is Felix's birthday.


This morning at the breakfast table, Keir and I, groggy from a very interrupted night...

Felix: You want to listen to music.

Marya: It's too early for music. You may listen to music after breakfast.

Felix, who hadn't taken a single bite of bagel: All done.