9.23.2008

Life on the threshold between Family Circus and Perfect Strangers

The other day I had my guitar out and Yordi held up some music and demanded that I play that song for her. Never mind the fact that she had never actually heard the song before... what was important was that she found this treasure in my guitar case and therefore it needed to be played that instant.

So I start strumming and singing.

"God Bless America..."

"Wait Wait Wait!!!" Habtamu came rushing in, elbowing his sister out of the way. "America read where?" he said scanning the page. "You tell me" I said, "sound it out," and pointed to the first word. "Guh-haw-dih... guhawdih... GOD! Buh-leh-ee-ssssss... No Daddy I don't know!" "You got it! Buh-less! Bl-ess! Bless! You know that word." I reinforced. "Like 'Bless You' after a sneeze." I think expending all that effort and not getting to 'America' drove him away to less strenuous activities. It was either that or Yordanos who was now stomp-marching around the room singing, "GOD *BLESS YOU* AMERICA!!!" at the top of her lungs.

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The kids and I have been having pre-dinner wrestling matches when I get home from work. We don't have a whole lot of room or rules, but it usually involves someone getting pinned and then tickled. Repeat, repeat, repeat until either mom calls us for dinner or someone gets a knee to the face. Anyway, H and I were in the midst of some variation on this theme that basically involved him trying to sit on the couch and me trying to keep him off. After two tries he finally got his keester on a cushion. He jumped up with his arms triumphantly in the air, "I am Strong!" he proclaimed. "Yes," I said, "You are very strong." He did a short victory strut, turned back to me and announced, "I AM QUEEN!!!" this time giving me the gun show. "Yes," I said nodding, "You are queen. Go tell your mother."

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Tonight, Yordanos, while totally not focusing on the boardgame that she picked out, discovered that she could attach and support small objects in her braids. While I was trying to find the quickest legitimate path to ending the game, I heard, "Daddy look!" to my right. I looked up to see my daughter with a pink fuzzy cat ball dangling in front of her left eye. "That's great honey," I said, "Pick a card now." Habtamu just shook his head and waited. "More," she said tugging on her other undecorated braid, "Cat toy again." "We don't have another pink cat toy like that," I sighed, "Only a blue one. It's your turn." "Where blue one?" she asked, her eyes looking everywhere in the room except at the game board. "I don't know," I grumbled, "Ask a cat." My comment was totally lost on Yordi, as the front half of her body was already buried under the couch. Habtamu smiled and giggled. "Ask cat" he repeated.

I think that's the first time he's understood that kind of joke in English. We kid around a lot but it usually involves faux-miscommunication and/or physical humor. Like if he says a meal is, "Excellent, very good," then I might lean over and stick my fork in his food and say, "No like? Ok ok Daddy will help," with a big grin on my face. That passes for funny at the dinner table. But this time I was tired and frustrated so there was no vocal cues, nor did I point to a cat to reinforce the concept.

He got it anyway and he thought it was funny.

I like him.

2 comments:

Molly said...

I love how you can blog about an ordinary day and make it hilarious!!! :)

Anonymous said...

Seriosuly, you need webcams in your house...this would be better than any "reality show"

I can see it now (insert dreamscape sound effect here)


"...and the Emmy for Best Reality Programming is....'Habtamu & Yordanos'!"


Habtamu walks up to the stage, wearing nothing but the snow pants from an earlier blog post & leaving oily footprints in his path. Yordanos strolls behind him, face obscured from the multitude of colored cat toys dangling from her many braids. She is constantly looking under peoples chairs, searching for a cat to ask for more toys.

Habtamu approaches the stage, receives his trophy from Ryan Seacrest (who is much weaker than Habtamu.) Habtamu then raises it above his head & declares "I AM TOILET! I AM QUEEN!" while flexing his guns.

Yordanos finally stumbles to the stage. She then takes the trophy from her brother, hugs it close, & begins to swing from side to side like a multi colored Tribble on a blender while saying "Fashion...show...show...show!" as the cat toys begin to fling off her braids.

I should get back to work... :)