How I know I should probably be spending more time outside with my kids...

A few days ago we set up the dancing caterpillar sprinkler in the backyard for the kids to cool off. While they were running through it, Comma found a feather in the grass.

M.E.: Comma, do you know what this is?
Comma: A feather!
M.E.: Do you know where it came from?
Comma: The couch!
M.E.: Well, that's not a bad guess - the cushions in our couch do have feathers in them and once in a while one comes out, but this feather didn't come from there. Where do you think it came from?
Comma: A pillow!

Now I know how my mother felt...

...when I insisted on having mile-high bangs back in the late '80s.

Green Pea has been styling his hair to look like an old-man combover and regardless of how many times that I tell him it looks ridiculous, he thinks it's totally cool. I suppose that pictures like this will provide endless entertainment for his kids someday, but for now it just makes me want to tear my own hair out!

career changes

Our conversation while driving home from the store today:

Green Pea: I want to be a money loaner when I grow up.
M.E.: Ok.
Green Pea: What do you do if you're a money loaner?
M.E.: Well, you have money to invest and people who want to start a business or something come and tell you about their business plan and you try to decide who has a good plan and can grow their business and pay back the money.
Green Pea: I want to be a teacher and a pizza maker and then I'll try to be president.
M.E.: Oh, really?
Green Pea: Yeah, I'll be a teacher when I first move out of the house and get my own house and then after that I'll be a pizza maker and then I'll try to run for president.
M.E.: Where does being a money loaner figure into all that? I thought you wanted to be a money loaner.
Green Pea: (dismissively) Oh, I'll do that when I'm a teenager!

Scotch tape can fix anything

Comma is very fussy about his food being in what he considers good condition and consumed in the manner he approves. If a corner breaks off of a slice of cheese before it's placed on his cheeseburger, as far as he's concerned it's damaged goods and he doesn't want it. He likes to eat his bananas "like a monkey" - meaning with the peel partially peeled back but NOT completely removed. I made the mistake of peeling a banana too far down for his liking one day and he was adamant that he wasn't going to eat it. Trying to avoid a big battle over nothing, I offered to tape the peel back together closer to the top of the banana. Comma accepted this remedy and proceeded to eat his banana. I didn't think much about it until a few weeks later when he was picking up a burger (minus the bun, which he prefers to eat separately) and a large chunk of it broke off. He immediately dissolved into tears and insisted that I fix it. I tried to explain that I couldn't stick the burger back together - it would just come apart again. He started shouting, "Then tape it!" I told him that it wouldn't work and I was not going to tape his burger back together. His frustrated response: "Why not? It worked with the banana!"

Flying

This morning, Green Pea was testing my patience by jumping off of anything he could - the couch, his bed, the stairs, etc. I asked him to stop repeatedly and finally asked him why he couldn't hold still and insisted on jumping off everything and whether he trying to destroy our house.

Green Pea: I'm doing it because I'm trying to fly.
M.E.: Oh, don't try that. You'll just get hurt. Ask Uncle T. When he was little, he flew right into a closet and smacked his head.
Green Pea: (incredulously, but hopefully) HE FLEW?

Superhero

This afternoon Green Pea came to me with three pieces of Kleenex scotch-taped together lengthwise.
Green Pea: Can you put this in my back?
M.E.: Why?
Green Pea: (nonchalantly, as if it's perfectly obvious) For a cape.
M.E.: Ok. (I stop rinsing the dishes and step away from the sink, looking around the kitchen for a towel)
Green Pea: (impatiently, with a bit of exasperation) But don't touch it with wet hands!
M.E.: Don't worry, I'll dry them. (I proceeded to dry my hands and went to grab his "cape")
Green Pea: (with distrust, grabbing my hand and inspecting it for stray moisture) Let me check them.

After I secured the "cape" to the back of his shirt, he proceeded to dance around the house singing about how he's a superhero and he's off to save the world and the world is waiting for him. Then he decided he should pack a snack in case he got hungry while he was saving the world. He got his lunch bag and I heard the refrigerator open. A little while later he asked if I could cut up some strawberries for his snack. Even superheroes need their mommies.

Introvert vs. Extrovert

We had a bunch of moms and kids from church over this morning (12 moms, 21 kids). The kiddos were quite cooperative about preparing to host, but their anticipation of it was very different.

Green Pea was awake very early this morning but waited until 6:30 when he heard Wise Dad showering to get up. He came downstairs and got dressed without any reminders and then enthusiastically offered to help in any way he could (this is a kid who normally abhors work). He completed several tasks I gave him and tried to be helpful in any way he could.

Comma HATES crowds. He is normally eager to help and an efficient worker, but this morning he was not so inclined to assist me. While I was getting him dressed he asked in an exasperated voice, "Why are all these children coming to my house every day?" Toward the end of the visit, when the moms were getting their kids together and we were clearing snacks off the table, he was overheard telling one little boy (who happens to be one of his favorite friends), "You need to go home now." He started sulking and whining and just generally shutting down. He had had enough.

It's just a hunch, but I'm guessing these two are at opposite ends of the E-I scale in those personality tests.