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!
Eitan used to not be a dessert guy. Recently, that has changed. Following a relatively quick lunch, he was asked if he wanted cake. This was his response.
A few months back, Eitan enjoyed a day of “Wings and Wands” during a fairytale-inspired day at school. Since then, he’ll randomly whip out his gear and run around yelling, “Wings and wands! Wings and wands!”
More recently, I was gifted this entertaining interaction:
Eitan: How are we going to move this (toy) truck? Magic!
Whooshing noises.
Eitan: I’m not magic! I need my wand…
Runs off.
This evening, the power went out right as we were reading at bedtime. Ironically, we had just finished “Katy and the Big Snow” in which one of the plot lines involves downed utility poles.
After we got the home switched over to running on battery power, Eitan immediately switched from slightly frightened to inquisitive. He just had to know what happened.
One ritual Eitan and I have developed over the last year or so has been a man to man talk about literally anything after he is supposed to be asleep. This evening was no different.
Eitan: Why no power?
Me: There’s probably a pole down somewhere in Needham.
Eitan: Tomorrow, you draw me a map.
Me: A map of the power outage? Sure, bud.
Eitan: Need two pieces of paper.
Me: How about we start with one and go from there?
Eitan: Maybe two pieces. Needham big. Maybe three pieces, actually.
Kids are the best.
For those unfamiliar with Frog and Toad, I recommend you pick up any one of Arnold Lobel’s four compilations. Nearly all of his reptilian short stories can be enjoyed by adults and children alike.
One such story, Cookies, concludes with a teachable moment about willpower. I won’t give away the story, but limiting sugary goods is a recurring theme. Following a recent reading, this was a conversation we had with Eitan…
Mama: How about we dress up as Frog and Toad? I can be Toad, Dada can be Frog, and you can be willpower.
Eitan: No, I will be Toad. You be willpower!
For Rosh Hashanah, Papa made an apple challah in the shape of a spiral. When we first saw it, Dada started saying “That looks…”. You could tell he was about to say “amazing” or “delicious”. Instead, Eitan interjected “like a poop!” We all burst out laughing, including Eitan. It kind-of did, but it was also delicious.
When Eitan first started school, he came home saying “so much for that idea” A LOT. We wondered what made the teachers say that!
After a fantastic round of T-ball, Eitan and Dada played a little catch. When Dada missed the ball, Eitan created a new game. Dada was ejected from the backyard. It was now only Eitan and the ball. Once the ball got rolling, we were treated to this little back and forth:
Eitan: Ball, stop!
Mama: Can it hear you?
Eitan: No. It doesn’t have a mouth.
Life lessons for us all.
Eitan created this cute little turn of phrase today. The exact quote was: “Dodo makes me funny!” We’re pretty sure he means that Dodo makes him laugh.
Note from Hannah: Eitan continues to say this, whenever something makes him laugh: “make me funny!”
Following construction of one of the recent block homes Eitan likes to build (and subsequently demolish), we were given a tour. The home had one bedroom, one kitchen, and THREE bathrooms. Why three, you may wonder?
One bathroom for pee.
One bathroom for poop.
One bathroom for diarrhea.
Eitan, laughing hysterically
Needless to say, “diarrhea” has become one of Eitan’s new favorite words.