Categories
Ideas Thoughts

Fact versus Fiction

Eitan knows that after fifth check at night we don’t come back in, and it’s time to rest. The goal being sleep, of course.

The other night he was having a lot of trouble, and talking to himself. We heard snippets such as “Bennett please play with me.” and “how do I play with them?”. So of course, when the call to me came, I went in to have a little discussion.

First, I got a big story about trouble playing with Bennett and Asher. I suggested asking them how to play. Hard no. I suggested asking a teacher to help play with them. Some hesitancy, but he didn’t like that idea either.

Finally, I said I would talk to his teachers in the morning. He gave me an innocent look and said, “this didn’t really happen, mama”.

GO TO SLEEP, Eitan.

I love you.

Categories
Thoughts

Bedroom Paint Color

I have been trying to choose a paint color for our primary bedroom. I showed Eitan some paint chips in the car the other day to see if he could help. My theory was that under-thinking things may be better than over-thinking them. Apparently, that is not the case:

Me: “What color do you like for our bedroom, Eitan?”

Eitan: “I like all of them, mama”

“And it doesn’t matter to me if you choose the wrong color!”

Categories
Thoughts

Bye bye cribby

We were very nervous about the transition to a bed. When we discussed it, Eitan pushed back hard, and we weren’t entirely sure why. But I really wanted to get the transition done while we were living in Sudbury, so one Sunday I declared it “the day”.

Once the construction was complete, and Eitan helped with his toy tools, he was ecstatic. In fact, he told us he had to choose something he was thankful for at school for Thanksgiving, and he said his new bed.

The only downside was on his second night, when he fell out twice. The first time we went running in (it was around 11pm and we were just going to sleep). He screamed “get out, you bummers!” and punched Rich in the face. And I mean really clocked him one.

It happened again at about 4AM. I went in by myself and received a similar response, but this time I put a cushion next to the bed. Problem solved.

Categories
Ideas Questions Thoughts

Loving Shabbat

To continue our Christian versus Jewish discussions, Eitan recently became aware that Rich’s parents are not Jewish.

Eitan: “What holidays do Ooma and Oompa have?”

Mama: “Well, they don’t have as many as us. Ooma and Oompa celebrate Christmas and Easter”

Eitan: “Keep telling me”

Mama: “That’s it”

*shocked silence* Note: this was during the Days of Awe

… several days go by …

Eitan: “Ooma and Oompa don’t celebrate Shabbat?”

Mama: “No, they don’t have Shabbat”

Eitan: “That makes me sad for them”

Mama: “It warms my heart that you love Shabbat so much”

Papa: “It warms my heart that you are thinking about how other people feel!”

Categories
Questions Thoughts

Conversion

Eitan is starting to become very interested in categorizing people. Boy/girl, old/young, Jewish/not. He recently became aware that his Dada converted to Judaism; it was never a secret, but it doesn’t come up much. To summarize a long conversation:

Eitan: “You used to be Christian and then you became Jewish, Dada?”

Dada: “That’s right”

Eitan: “Did you need to get a shot?”

Some things are just always on our mind…

Categories
Thoughts

Decision Maker

Nana, in the car: “Eitan, would you like to sleep in a big bed some day?”

Eitan: “I don’t know; my mama makes those decisions”

Categories
Phrasing Thoughts

He knows what we’re thinking

At dinner, we were discussing Nana and Mama’s old hairdresser and his ultra-demanding wife.

Mama said: “Yeah, the only thing I remember about was that she was a…”

Short silence, as Mama tries to decide what to say.

Eitan: “Pain in the butt!”

We all burst out laughing.

Eitan: “I knew that was going to be funny!”

Categories
Thoughts

The Real World

Eitan: “Mama can I ask you something?”

Mama: “Sure”

Eitan: “That man in the [other] car was lighting a candle …. in his mouth”

Categories
Thoughts

Love is Boundless

Dada: “I love you to the edge of the universe and back, Eitan”

Eitan: “I love you to Connecticut and back! In a rainstorm!”

Categories
Thoughts

Boys & Slides

Why is it that little boys attempt to climb up the slide portion of a swing set and not simply use the ladder? I posed this exact question to Eitan after spotting him doing just that:

Because it’s funny to you.

Later, when asked whether a smaller slide would solve the problem, giving Eitan a shorter ladder to climb, I received my answer.

Yes, a smaller slide like at school. As small as my finger nail!