A New Stage

Family bath time has entered a new stage:

Introducing Addie to a lolly (sucker)

Today the boys went with Charles to get his haircut. The barber gave them both lollies (suckers in American!). When they got home Jack decided that he was going to share his with Addie. She took to it straight away. I told Jack to hold on while I got the camera. And here is what I got on tape:

Kids say the dardnest things 1.2

Today I said something about Theo going to pre-school. He quickly told me that he was too little for pre-school. I told him that when he was three he could go in the autumn to pre-school. He said, 'no, I don't want to go until I am forty - then I will go to pre-school.'

Kids say the dardnest things

The following story is not hysterical, but it is just a reminder that kids say some of the funniest things. It is so much fun to see their mind working and figuring things out. I have decided that this title: 'kids say the dardnest things' will become a new feature on this blog. I will just keep track of them quickly so I won't forget these cute sayings in the years to come.

Installment 1:

Today when I was reading a book to Theo he said 'why is the daddy crying'. What? The dad was talking to his family about building an extension on their home. He wasn't sad at all. I tried to hush Theo by quickly telling him that the daddy wasn't crying, but then it clicked! The sentence I had read a few sentences before said ''Let's build it!' Dad cried.'

Needless to say I did my best to explain to Theo at the age of two that 'cry' can have more than one meaning!

Another take on an English tradition

Mrs. Thumb Up went to work today, and since we're on inter-semester break (marking [grading for you Americans] time for faculty and supposedly reading time for the students), I was home with the kids.

While getting Addie dressed this morning, the boys started playing with her teapot and tea cups. The music from the teapot reminded me of a childhood song, so I started singing 'I'm a Little Teapot'. I did it the proper way the first time through, complete with actions for handles and spout and all. But then I sang it again as my father used to do it. 'I'm a little teapot, short and stout. Here is my handle (cue one hand on hip), and here is my . . . (other hand on hip) Whoops! I'm a sugar bowl'.

Well, the boys thought this was hilarious. They begged for me to do it again. Jack asked me how I had thought of that, and I told him that it was from Papa, that's how he sang it when I was a kid. Jack thought for a moment. 'Yeah, I can see that Papa would like that'. So young and yet already he's gotten the full measure of his grandfather.

Wait til I tell him my dad's joke about the first green pea in 10 years.

Here are our renditions of Papa's version of the song: