Monday, December 15, 2008
Thursday, December 11, 2008
Wednesday, December 10, 2008
Two Very Good Questions, One Passable Answer
Bedtime, after lights out.
Felix: Daddy, I have a question--wait, I have two questions. Why is there salt water in the oceans and why if we drink it are we always thirsty? Those are my two questions.
Keir: Wow, those are good questions. I'm not sure why there is salt water in the oceans...maybe the oceans have a lot of minerals in them? Salt is a mineral, and maybe the ocean floor is very salty. I don't really know. But when we drink salt water--remember how cells, and every part of our body has water inside? If we have too much salt in our bodies, the salt sucks the water out of our cells and then our bodies tell us we're thirsty so we drink more water, but if it's salt water it doesn't do any good. You could have a tummy full of salt water, and you could have to pee a lot, but you would still be thirsty because your body wouldn't get what it needs. (Thinking, Whew.)
Felix: That doesn't sound like a very good way to live.
Felix: Daddy, I have a question--wait, I have two questions. Why is there salt water in the oceans and why if we drink it are we always thirsty? Those are my two questions.
Keir: Wow, those are good questions. I'm not sure why there is salt water in the oceans...maybe the oceans have a lot of minerals in them? Salt is a mineral, and maybe the ocean floor is very salty. I don't really know. But when we drink salt water--remember how cells, and every part of our body has water inside? If we have too much salt in our bodies, the salt sucks the water out of our cells and then our bodies tell us we're thirsty so we drink more water, but if it's salt water it doesn't do any good. You could have a tummy full of salt water, and you could have to pee a lot, but you would still be thirsty because your body wouldn't get what it needs. (Thinking, Whew.)
Felix: That doesn't sound like a very good way to live.
Monday, November 10, 2008
Wednesday, November 05, 2008
High Five!
This morning when Cosmo sleepily got out of bed, I asked "Do you know who won the election?" and he said "I don't know." When I said "Barack Obama!" and put up his hand for a high five.
Then when Felix woke up, I said "Guess who's going to be the next president." and he said, "I already know that Barack Obama won because I saw on the TV last night that he had 167%. And [yesterday at the mock election in his classroom] there were 10 cards in the Barack Obama box in my room yesterday so Barack Obama won!"
Then when Felix woke up, I said "Guess who's going to be the next president." and he said, "I already know that Barack Obama won because I saw on the TV last night that he had 167%. And [yesterday at the mock election in his classroom] there were 10 cards in the Barack Obama box in my room yesterday so Barack Obama won!"
Tuesday, November 04, 2008
Happy Election Day, I Hope
F: Daddy, I'm very excited to vote today!
K: Me, too!
F: If I were you, I would vote for Barackobama.
K: Me, too!
F: If I were you, I would vote for Barackobama.
Friday, October 31, 2008
Thursday, October 30, 2008
Yep, They'll Do That
Riding the bus, looking out the window.
Felix: Daddy, I spotted one dog at the dog park giving another dog a piggyback ride!
Felix: Daddy, I spotted one dog at the dog park giving another dog a piggyback ride!
Monday, October 20, 2008
Just your usual Monday conversation
Felix: Daddy, today Roshni spit at me and I said, "Roshni! You shall have your vengeance!"
*****
Keir: Cosmo, do you like painting or drawing with crayons better?
Cosmo: Um...monsters.
Keir: You like monsters better than painting or drawing with crayons?
Cosmo: Yeth! They say "bah" to me.
*****
Keir: Cosmo, do you like painting or drawing with crayons better?
Cosmo: Um...monsters.
Keir: You like monsters better than painting or drawing with crayons?
Cosmo: Yeth! They say "bah" to me.
Sunday, October 19, 2008
Pumpkins, Apples, and the Horns of Dilemma
Rock star at the pumpkin patch.
A budding locavore. (We went to an apple orchard in Indiana last Sunday.)Yesterday, we went to a Halloween festival at the park. (Photos to come.) Cosmo rode a pony, and both kids petted goats, sheep, pigs, and various fowl at the petting zoo. Later we talked about which kinds of animals have horns.
Cosmo: Animals don't have horns! Cars have horns!
Keir: (Aghast at his city slicker son's city slicking ways.)
Cosmo: I was just kidding!
Monday, October 13, 2008
Catching up
I feel bad that we don't quote Cosmo much yet. He says a lot of things, and often gets ahead of himself as he tries to express technical details of train wheels or recounts exciting adventures such as going to Evanston or the apple orchard. Let's just say that his sweet shaky voice and sly humor has us giggling all the time. Any day now he'll become more quotable, but in the meantime, here are some Felix quotes that have been piling up:
F, while looking at Snow White Viewmaster reels: If I was queen I would say "magic mirror on the wall, what is Miss Corbett doing right now?"
Felix sometimes gets leg aches at night, recently so bad that he was crying, but the subject started to change:
F: I will not want to eat breakfast tomorrow because my leg will hurt too much.
M: But you have to eat breakfast every day.
F: But I don't like to eat breakfast.
M: Last week you loved eating buttered bagel on the white curb before school. You just gobbled it up.
F, sobbing again: And it sparkled in the sunshine.
M: What sparkled in the sunshine?
F: The buttered bagel.
Felix went through a phase recently of hurling a new threat at Keir or me each time we would make him mad. Here is a list that we were keeping, each said with as much anger as he could muster:
I throw guns at you.
I'll put mustard on top of you.
I'll lock you in a cage.
I throw frozen fire on you.
I'll crush your bones.
I'm giving you a time out.
I'm going to cover you with strawberry jam and popcorn seasoning.
I'm going to squirt orange juice in your eye next week.
F: I can't pull my pants up by myself. Can I get some help around here?
F: There are three things that I'm really good at doing: trains, beading, and burping.
Yes, Felix has learned to burp on command.
F, while looking at Snow White Viewmaster reels: If I was queen I would say "magic mirror on the wall, what is Miss Corbett doing right now?"
Felix sometimes gets leg aches at night, recently so bad that he was crying, but the subject started to change:
F: I will not want to eat breakfast tomorrow because my leg will hurt too much.
M: But you have to eat breakfast every day.
F: But I don't like to eat breakfast.
M: Last week you loved eating buttered bagel on the white curb before school. You just gobbled it up.
F, sobbing again: And it sparkled in the sunshine.
M: What sparkled in the sunshine?
F: The buttered bagel.
Felix went through a phase recently of hurling a new threat at Keir or me each time we would make him mad. Here is a list that we were keeping, each said with as much anger as he could muster:
I throw guns at you.
I'll put mustard on top of you.
I'll lock you in a cage.
I throw frozen fire on you.
I'll crush your bones.
I'm giving you a time out.
I'm going to cover you with strawberry jam and popcorn seasoning.
I'm going to squirt orange juice in your eye next week.
F: I can't pull my pants up by myself. Can I get some help around here?
F: There are three things that I'm really good at doing: trains, beading, and burping.
Yes, Felix has learned to burp on command.
Apples and Cookies
We went apple picking yesterday. Apple picking in Chicagoland usually involves crowds, lines, and frequent cash payouts. ("You want a BAG for those apples, mister? That's extra!") Our friends parked in the remote lot and we waited for a shuttle to take us to the orchard. (Yes, you read that right.) As we got off the shuttle, a yellow schoolbus, Felix bade farewell to the driver.
F: So long, Cookie!
*****
(The rest of this post is a bunch of scribbles of varying vintage.)
*****
I don't remember what he was throwing, but you'll get the gist.
K: Felix, you can't throw that around. It's too heavy.
F: This time, don't watch.
*****
Poetry in his soul.
F: (Drawing.) Daddy, this is a picture of a very, very old building that is falling down, like a dying apple tree.
*****
Homer and Bart.
K: Oh no!
F: (alarmed) Daddy, what happened!
K: It says in the paper that they're not going to sell beer on Metra trains anymore.
F: You like to drink beer, don't you, daddy?
K: Yes, I do like to drink beer.
F: Well, you just can't drink it all the time, because when you go on the Metra train, they won't sell it anymore.
K: Nope.
F: What can we do to make them sell it again?
*****
Felix overhears Marya and I talking politics while reading the paper.
F: Daddy, what happened?
K: Oh, our governor isn't doing a very good job.
F: Why not?
K: Well, he doesn't make very good choices.
F: I wish he would make better choices.
K: Sometimes people try their best, and they don't know they're not making good choices.
F: I'll teach him to make good choices.
*****
Explaining to Felix that I'm a little late because there was heavy traffic.
F: You should get home earlier, like between 5:17 and 5:20.
*****
Tucking in.
K: Can I get a goodnight hug, Felix?
F: I was thinking maybe I could do that tomorrow night.
*****
A loud bang.
K: Felix, what happened?
F: I was trying to get off my seat and my brain told me to kick the table. My brain's making bad choices today.
*****
A slightly older one.
F: Daddy, what is that?
K: That's a picture of Barack Obama giving a speech to a bunch of people in Germany. He wants to be President of the United States. We're going to have an election soon and everybody's going to vote for the person that they want to be President. The President is kind of like the boss of the country.
F: Yes, you can't be President until you're 17 years old.
K: Actually, you can't be President until you're 35 years old. But you can vote for the President when you're 18 years old.
F: Well, I don't want to vote when I am 18. I just want to be President when I am 35. I choose to be President of the whole United States and Africa, Australia, and Antarctica.
*****
Watching the Cubs get ready to break our hearts.
K: Felix, do you like soccer better, or baseball?
F: I like baseball better.
K: Why is that?
F: I like baseball because there's that funny commercial they put on there.
F: So long, Cookie!
*****
(The rest of this post is a bunch of scribbles of varying vintage.)
*****
I don't remember what he was throwing, but you'll get the gist.
K: Felix, you can't throw that around. It's too heavy.
F: This time, don't watch.
*****
Poetry in his soul.
F: (Drawing.) Daddy, this is a picture of a very, very old building that is falling down, like a dying apple tree.
*****
Homer and Bart.
K: Oh no!
F: (alarmed) Daddy, what happened!
K: It says in the paper that they're not going to sell beer on Metra trains anymore.
F: You like to drink beer, don't you, daddy?
K: Yes, I do like to drink beer.
F: Well, you just can't drink it all the time, because when you go on the Metra train, they won't sell it anymore.
K: Nope.
F: What can we do to make them sell it again?
*****
Felix overhears Marya and I talking politics while reading the paper.
F: Daddy, what happened?
K: Oh, our governor isn't doing a very good job.
F: Why not?
K: Well, he doesn't make very good choices.
F: I wish he would make better choices.
K: Sometimes people try their best, and they don't know they're not making good choices.
F: I'll teach him to make good choices.
*****
Explaining to Felix that I'm a little late because there was heavy traffic.
F: You should get home earlier, like between 5:17 and 5:20.
*****
Tucking in.
K: Can I get a goodnight hug, Felix?
F: I was thinking maybe I could do that tomorrow night.
*****
A loud bang.
K: Felix, what happened?
F: I was trying to get off my seat and my brain told me to kick the table. My brain's making bad choices today.
*****
A slightly older one.
F: Daddy, what is that?
K: That's a picture of Barack Obama giving a speech to a bunch of people in Germany. He wants to be President of the United States. We're going to have an election soon and everybody's going to vote for the person that they want to be President. The President is kind of like the boss of the country.
F: Yes, you can't be President until you're 17 years old.
K: Actually, you can't be President until you're 35 years old. But you can vote for the President when you're 18 years old.
F: Well, I don't want to vote when I am 18. I just want to be President when I am 35. I choose to be President of the whole United States and Africa, Australia, and Antarctica.
*****
Watching the Cubs get ready to break our hearts.
K: Felix, do you like soccer better, or baseball?
F: I like baseball better.
K: Why is that?
F: I like baseball because there's that funny commercial they put on there.
Bosmiam
F: Harun [friend at school] taught me how to speak Bosmiam.
M: Bosnian?
F: Yes, Bosmian.
M: What can you say in Bosnian?
F: Um, I forgot. But I speak three languages: English, Spanish, and Bosmian.
Another day recently, Felix was in a giggly mood. I said something funny and he said with a big smile "Get out of town, you silly woman."
M: Bosnian?
F: Yes, Bosmian.
M: What can you say in Bosnian?
F: Um, I forgot. But I speak three languages: English, Spanish, and Bosmian.
Another day recently, Felix was in a giggly mood. I said something funny and he said with a big smile "Get out of town, you silly woman."
Tuesday, October 07, 2008
Weights and Measures and Poop
Felix is interested in weights and measures. At the playground, after soccer on Saturday:
K: Felix, are you ready to go home?
F: No. I still have 44 pounds of energy left.
After dinner last week:
K: Are you done eating?
F: No. I'm only 9 centimeters full. When I'm 27 centimeters full, then I'll be done.
Cosmo loves singing. He has a lusty voice and a creative way with lyrics:
C: Take me out to the ballpoop
Take me out with the crowd
Buy me some peanuts and crackerpoop....
And:
C: When the dog toots
When the bee poops
When I'm feeling sad
I simply remember my favorite things
And then I don't feel so poop!
Marya's favorite line, however, is this one:
Wild geese that fly with poop on their wings
Of course, we wouldn't dream of encouraging him by laughing.
K: Felix, are you ready to go home?
F: No. I still have 44 pounds of energy left.
After dinner last week:
K: Are you done eating?
F: No. I'm only 9 centimeters full. When I'm 27 centimeters full, then I'll be done.
Cosmo loves singing. He has a lusty voice and a creative way with lyrics:
C: Take me out to the ballpoop
Take me out with the crowd
Buy me some peanuts and crackerpoop....
And:
C: When the dog toots
When the bee poops
When I'm feeling sad
I simply remember my favorite things
And then I don't feel so poop!
Marya's favorite line, however, is this one:
Wild geese that fly with poop on their wings
Of course, we wouldn't dream of encouraging him by laughing.
Thursday, September 25, 2008
I'm Scared
Recently, a few minutes after putting the kids to bed Felix (desperate, crying) called out for me. I went into their room to calm him.
F: Mommy, I'm scared.
M: What are you scared of?
F: Um, let me think about what I'm scared of.
F: Oh, I know what I'm scared of! I'm scared of the AutoChef [breakfast-preparing robot which explodes, from Wallace and Grommet cartoon].
F: Mommy, I'm scared.
M: What are you scared of?
F: Um, let me think about what I'm scared of.
F: Oh, I know what I'm scared of! I'm scared of the AutoChef [breakfast-preparing robot which explodes, from Wallace and Grommet cartoon].
Sunday, September 07, 2008
You Don't Say
We have really been remiss in posting. Will try to catch up soon. For starters, an interesting aside from Felix the other night.
Felix: Daddy, I have something to tell you. Did you hear about the person who was peeing and they laughed and the toilet seat slammed down and the pee came out their nose?! It took 184 weeks to come out, and it turned into a FLOWER.
(The last bit said with a huge smile. This anecdote has its origins in cautionary tales about sneezing while you're eating, but I can't tell how how pee and the flower got into it.)
Wednesday, August 20, 2008
Live from Kiwanis Park
We'll put up some photos of our wonderful Montana trip soon. But for the moment, feast your eyes and ears on "Super Nana" performed live in Kiwanis Park by the Salt Lake City players.
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