Shenanigans

I chose this title for random tidbits about the boys thinking that the word was Irish in origin. Apparently, it's origin is "unknown" and the first known usage was in 1855. Weird, huh? Regardless, here are some of the latest shenanigans and quotables from my boys:

Gabriel's preschool class read "Green Eggs and Ham" this month. How do I know? Well, it was in a note sent home from school but I would have known anyway because Gabriel is constantly quoting from it and adapting the text to the current situation. At dinner the other night:

Elijah: Mom, I don't like fish or cauliflower or potatoes!

Me: You haven't even tried them how do you know?

Elijah: I just know!

Gabriel: Try them and you may! Try them and you may I say!

Last week, Gabriel was very angry with me. I don't even remember what it was about but I certainly remember his response.

Gabriel : "Fine! I don't love you! I don't love you here! I don't love you there! I don't love you anywhere! And I won't smile! I won't smile on a train or in the rain! Or ever again!" I'm pretty sure Dr. Seuss is rolling over in his grave.

Before I go anywhere with the boys, we have a little meeting about what behaviors are expected based on where we are going. I think in this particular instance we were going to the library. I asked the boys what the rules were.

Gabriel: No yelling!

Elijah: Stay with mommy!

Gabriel: No running!

Elijah: Don't climb on the shelves!

David John: And no panicking!

Good advice, David John. He must have read the Hitchhiker's guide to the galaxy.

One of the blessings of having boys is that when you are at a park without access to any bathrooms and someone needs to go, you can just find a secluded tree instead of packing everyone back into the car and driving home. My boys, and I think boys in general, are very interested in peeing outside. They find it fascinating. Unfortunately, being 2 and 4, they don't always have the best aim. Poor Elijah was using a tree at the park when he decided to look down and see how things were going. He simultaneously turned the stream upward and got himself right in the eye. I felt like a very bad mother because I couldn't contain all of my laughter while I helped him get cleaned up. Boys are so weird.

Gabriel has found a new passion this month. He has become a letter-writer. Often, he makes cards and writes letters just to show love or appreciation for someone. However, he also uses his letter-writing to advocate for social change. He wrote a letter to one of his teachers at school because he did not like getting messy during arts and crafts time. He wrote the letter, read it to me, and I rewrote what he said in somewhat more legible hand so that his teacher could read it. The letter included the following sentiment, "I don't like getting my hands dirty 'cause that makes me crazy. Please get me an art smock." He also wrote letters when I told him that he will not be able to go back to his preschool next year. He filled an entire box with letters to his teachers and school administration asking for a tuition decrease. He also threw in some change and a few plastic toys to sweeten the deal. I didn't rewrite those letters for him. The school board will have to figure it out themselves.

Elijah likes to use a calculator to "send emails". The other day, Elijah was sending emails to friends and family and periodically asking Gabriel who to send an email to next.

Gabriel: Send an email to the zombies.

Elijah: No! Zombies can't read!

Gabriel: Yes they can. They write notes.

Elijah: Well, they definitely don't have computers. They are dead. I am not sending email to the zombies.

Good thinking, Elijah. The last thing we need is undead using the internet.

Most of you know, but for posterity let me note that David John broke his nose this month. When the boys were supposed to be in bed and sleeping, they were instead playing "circus act" in the dark. Circus act involves feats of derring-do, like jumping from bed to bed and doing flips. David John did a flip and landed nose first on the headboard of his bed. I am sorry to say, I failed to take a picture of the resulting swollen nose and black eyes. He was definitely in pain after the initial accident, but was back to his dare-devilry by the next day. His nose is slightly flatter and wider across the bridge than it was and we considered getting it fixed. However, the day before we had to decide David John did the exact same trick and landed on his nose again. He did not re-break it, but the incident convinced me that fixing his nose at this point would be premature. He will likely break it again. Besides, it will be a nostalgic reminder of his toddler shenanigans.