10 posts tagged “children”
Many children have imaginary friends. Owen has an imaginary police force. He talks about 'my police' a fair amount. He explained to his great-grandfather recently that he had cooked a whole salmon for his police. The other day he told me that, when I can't see him, it's because he's in his police station.
He just explained the plot of Wall-E to Emily. Apparently, he went to see it, with his police, in London.
Ho hum.
Last week we took Owen (and Pete but he wasn't really paying attention) to Loch Ness. As we drove along the lakeside Em was trying to explain about the lake and the monster. It went something like this:
Em: It's a deep and spooky lake and some people think there's a monster in it.
[Owen appears to ponder this and, a few minutes later...]
Owen: Mum, how did they get the spooky in?
[Em tries to explain what spooky means. She appears to manage to explain this. But, a few minutes later...]
Owen: What flavour spooky?
Me/Em: Huh?
Owen: I'm guessing lime flavour.
Em: Owen, what do you think 'spooky' means?
Owen: It's everything in the world all mashed up and mixed with orange juice.
Me: Owen, that's a smoothie.
Owen: No, not with trees in it.
"Spiderman killed all the dinosaurs because they were too stompy"
"Spiderman has a manager, he tells him what to wear"
I worked from home a couple of times this week so I picked up Owen from school. Coming back on Thursday, we had a long conversation about brothers. We started talking about the baby and about him being a brother and ...
Owen: I don't want be brother
Me: Why not?
Owen: Brothers always adults. I don't want be adult. I like be small.
Me: But brothers aren't always adults.
Owen: Yes, they are.
Me: But Owen, Jacob is Ellie's brother and he's not an adult.
Owen: Oh! I see! I do want be brother.
Last weekend we went to my parents' for a couple of days. We should have been going with Em's grandmother but she had to delay her flight because she was sick. Anyway, we went to a Remembrance Day service with my parents as my dad was laying a wreath. On the Saturday, Em had to work so I had a day with the boy. We grabbed a couple of cousins and went walking at Danebury Hill Fort. I've been walking there on and off for almost 35 years (now that's scary).
Just before we left the kids found a deep pile of leaves and a small bank in the car park. The result:
Fun was had. Small children had to have leaves removed from unlikely places (both Jake's ears).
So, do we have the only child in the world who would
a) refuse to eat his "teddy bear" pizza
b) ask for more salad
We've raised a foodie. Mostly, he turns his nose up at food targetted at kids but he likes Stilton.
What have we done? He's worked out that the nicest food comes from the farmer's market and Waitrose.
Not often I make it to three posts a day.
I wanted to write this down before I forgot. Last night, before I crashed, I went in to check on Owen, cover him up and all that. I put his bed covers back on, closed his window (raining just a little hard last night) and started to leave when...
Small Voice: kiss me
Dad kisses owner of Small Voice on cheek
Small Voice: no, on lips
Dad obeys
Small Voice: night night
The question is, was he awake?
And on another matter entirely, these people - Bialetti make absolutely the best stovetop coffee makers. I have a Brikka. Dead expensive, makes fantastic coffee...
Toddlers are so funny when they're getting the hang of this world thing:
Me: That's a nasty cough you have Owen
Him: Not nasty. Mine Cough. Nice cough.
and this morning sometime before seven:
Mummy, Daddy, birds sing. Birds have whistle?
Took Small to the Bluebell Railway today. A small boy + steam trains. It's just love. Joined up as a member as we go so often. Such a strange couple of years - from clubbing in London to zoos and trains with a toddler in the countryside. Every time I go back to London I realise how happy I am to have left.
Before Small went to bed we took down the xmas tree (the radical atheist in me lost out to the parent in me) today. Small kissed the tree goodbye and waved as I took it out. I guess I'll recycle it when he's not paying attention. Feelings would be hurt a lot. Next year, we dig a tree rather than cut it down. Both are possible at Wilderness Wood. I'd feel better about the whole thing if we weren't killing a tree.
