Wednesday, April 10, 2013

Young love, dangerous cleanliness, and singing your emotions

The past couple of weeks were full of conversations I don't want to lose track of, so I'm going to split them up over a few days. Here's installment number one. Check out the Facebook page to see more conversations.
On the drive home from the gym: 
Me: What did you do in the kids' place today? 
Addison: There were boys, and I chased them. 
Me: Oh really? 
Addison: That's right. I'm a chaser. I chased those boys really fast. 
Me: Huh. What did you do with them once you caught them? 
Addison: I bopped them on the head. BOP! Like that. 
My wife feels like Little Bunny Foo Foo is having a bad influence on our daughter. She usually loves other kids. But my take? If she only chases boys in order to teach 'em who's boss, I'd probably be okay with that for the next 15 years or so.
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My daughter just came running to me with a Q-tip. 
Addison: I will clean your ears, dad!  
Me: Since when do you like cleaning things? 
Addison: Since forever! I will clean really good! Like this! 
*makes emphatic jabbing motions with the Q-tip* 
It was a nice offer, but if I got my brains cleaned like that, I might start remembering all the things my wife's been asking me to do. Why rock the boat?
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On the way home from a visit to the playground, we rocked out to The Little Mermaid soundtrack. If you're new here, my daughter likes it, just a little bit
Right before Ariel's first song, she's in a cavern looking at all her treasures (pretty similar to the junk (I mean treasure) that's filling up Addison's room, too). And Ariel says, 
Ariel: "Maybe he's right. Maybe there is something wrong with me. I just don't see how a world that makes such wonderful things could be bad." 
And cue the music: 
♫ "Look at this stuff, isn't it neat?" ♫ 
Addison looks at me in the rear view mirror, as though just realizing something, and says, "Why she start singing?" 
Me: Why do YOU think she starts singing? 
Addison (raising hands in exasperation): I don't know. Doesn't make sense. 
Me: Well, I guess that's just how some people work through their pain. They sing about it, Broadway-style. 
Addison: Oh. Okay. 
If I can work this just right, maybe I'll be able to train Addison to break out in song whenever she's mad about something. The ultimate parenting Win.