When He Was Younger

We were at the fair admiring 23 day old piglets. A gentleman (presumably their farmer-owner) pulled one out of the pen so that people could pet it if they wanted to. Considering the fact that Caleb has listened to the audio version of E.B. White's Charlotte's Web probably well over 100 times, it seemed logical for Joseph to ask, "Do you wanna go pet the baby pig?"

Caleb: "I'm not that kind of boy nowadays. I was when I was younger."

I think the expression on his face, not to mention the hands on his hips, perhaps capture the kind of boy he IS nowadays?

Nerve Jamming

Joseph was listening to something pretty rockin' while working in the kitchen.

Mom: "Caleb, what's this psychotic music Daddy is listening to?" ;)

Caleb [uninterested]: "I dunno."

Mom: "Does it fit the rage in your brain?"

Caleb: "Naybe."

No, that is NOT a typo. This is one of the words that Caleb still mispronounces that we love too much to correct.

A Mover and Shaker

Caleb loves to listen to the news on the radio. Today we happened to be hearing about fast food workers on strike, related to wages. I had no doubt Caleb was tracking with the story when he offered the following:

"Maybe I'll start something when I'm a man. Maybe I'll start something ABOUT PROTESTS."

Maybe you will, son. Somehow, I will not be at all surprised. I only hope you have gotten your marching orders from Jesus.

Towel, Please?

Upon getting out of the shower, Caleb announced, "I'm a fat saliva."

I'm pretty is was just his way of describing that he was cold and needing to dry off.

True Hunter

We've had a problem with a mouse (or, as it turns out, MICE) in our kitchen (office, etc.). Caleb was eager to be a part of setting the traps and not surprisingly then also the CHECKING of said traps.

It took three days but finally: success.

I don't remember who commented on the mouse's feet looking cute but the follow up response from Caleb was:

"Can we cut them (or maybe it was 'him') and hang them (or 'him') on my door?"

Miscellaneous Quotes without Specific Context

"...that's when most schedules of robbing happen..."

"If I don't have kids, I'll be a police officer. If I do I'll be a soldier."

"When I grow up, I'm gonna be the President."

"I think I'll shoot anybody if I have a gun."

I'm sorry, I imagine the context might help make more sense of some of these. All of these were spoken by Caleb in the course of conversations we were having.

Establishing the Rules of the Game

For our activity of the day together, a Bubble War was on the agenda. We have these battery operated bubble guns and so Caleb explained to me how it was going to work:

"If you touch a bubble, you get popped. STICK THIS IN YOUR BRAIN: we each have NINE LIVES."

Thoughts During Abe's Visit to the Vet

We had just dropped off Abe, our 9 month old, purebred Standard Poodle at the vet for his appointment to be neutered. Caleb was lamenting how quiet the house would be while he was gone, and how lonely it would be without him around. After only 6 months, he really has become part of the family.

I had pointed out that it would be so quiet we would find ourselves wondering, "Oh no, what has Abe gotten into?"

Caleb's response, "Now he won't be into anything, he'll be INTO MEDICINE!"

What Kind of Animal Would YOU Be? And Why?

Caleb: "I wish I was a hedgehog so I could roll up in a ball...and be all PRICKLY!"

Mom: "So people would leave you alone or not touch you?"

Caleb: "No. So that I didn't have to WALK! [bummed] But my legs aren't that FLEXIBLE."

Childhood Wonder

When asked why he didn't come get me IMMEDIATELY upon discovering that the toilet he had flushed was literally overflowing onto the bathroom floor, this was his response, "I was just so AMAZED! I have never actually seen a potty flood. I've heard about it but I've never SEEN it in my lifetime."

Fair enough, I can't really blame him for that one, then. :)

Pondering Presidential Names

We had finished watching National Treasure 2 and he had been asking me to identify the President depicted in that movie. Somehow that got him thinking about our current president and this is what he said, "How come the other [presidents] don't have those terrible names like 'Obama'?" After some further thinking, "I wonder if his Mom ever...[pause]...what DOES 'Obama' MEAN?!?"

I explained that we refer to our presidents by their last name but then, that didn't really help much as I reminded him of our current president's first name. :( And he still was just really fixated on wanting to know the meaning of the name OBAMA.

Personally, I would really love to know the rest of that question about his Mom!

He'll tell you straight to your nose...er, I mean, face.

[referring to a Breathe Right strip] "Take off the nose thing for sleeping. You don't look like a real dad. You look like a guy who had surgery on his nose."

Locks of...Decor?

During some Saturday morning snuggles, we were noticing how desperately Caleb is in need of a visit to his barber.

Joseph: "Look at this beautiful mane. We're gonna get it all trimmed off."

Caleb: "Then we'll put it in a bag and we can decorate with it."

Perspective

Sitting in church a week ago, a mom with a very wee baby pulled her out of her sling and the baby gave a cry of protest. Hearing the sound at the same time as he saw her face, Caleb had this response:

"Aw, PRECIOUS!"

His Mama's heart just melted right then and there and prayed for God to give him his very own baby brother or sister in some miraculous way.

Vocabulary Learned from Audiobooks

Snuggling with Dad, who was slow in waking up, Caleb queried, "are you getting your bearings? I know what that means." He informed him he learned it from the Redwall series.

Assessing Floatation Devices

Caleb and I were at the swimming pool and he was about to grab a "noodle" to float around with. But taking one look at it, he tossed is aside, "this is NOT seaworthy."

Well, That Explains a LOT!

At dinner when Dad dropped a bite of food in his lap, Caleb burst out, "Haha, Dad spilled on himself! Haha!"

I said, "Caleb, you know this is a great context for you to learn about social skills."

"Social skills?! What are social skills, Mom?"

Right. Those.

Time for a New Ruler?

First thing this morning, Caleb suited up in his army gear for the second day in a row and headed outside to fight some backyard battles. After about half an hour or so, he came in and declared emphatically, "My reign over the land is done!"

Considering the Options

We were sitting at a traffic light, waiting for a left turn arrow light, less than five minutes from home, after an afternoon of running errands. I myself felt like we had been there longer than I would have expected, when Caleb voiced these thoughts:

"Can we go HOME, please? This is taking TOO long. I'm just gonna have to walk home. That's just what I'll have to do. Open this car door and start walking. I can't bear how long this is taking."

How Rude

Walking through Costco, Caleb made a comment which I thought was directed at me. A response seemed fitting, so I made one.

"Don't interrupt me, please...when I'm talking to myself."

Alrighty then.

Observations While Eating a Roaster Chicken

"I'm not going to eat the thigh. I don't like the thigh. It looks like a real thigh."

"Here, Dad, you can eat the veins."

"What kind of chickens do we eat? I mean do we eat the hens, or..."

"I like light meat just as well as dark meat. They're both the same, you know."