The Kids Lives

Phew! The past few weeks were a whirlwind of activity both at home and at work. The weather seems to be giving us more energy (or at least the kids) and we’re spending more time outdoors and allowing later bedtimes (much to my wife’s chagrin).

Each child has made some remarkable leaps in their developments, so, let me update you all on some of these:

Joey

Thursdays, I pick Joey up from school and bring him home. Jenny has class that night and needs to be leaving the house at the time I’d normally be departing work. This past Thursday, I left a little early to pick Joey up. Upon arriving, I was able to come inside to find him sitting on the rug listening to the day’s last story from one of his teachers.

On this particular Thursday, a teacher (and fellow neighbor of ours whom got us into Joey’s school in the first place) pulled me aside to inform me about an amazing breakthrough Joey had made that very day.

She handed me a few pages that were stapled together (something we get every day and we save like the good stock piling parents we are).

On the first page of his take-home paper work was a list of 6 equations. The instructions at the top of the page listed ‘=’, ‘>’, and ‘<’ as possible answers. The students were to look at the series of numbers, and choose which of the three numerical comparison operators fit between them. Joey had correctly identified 5 out of the 6 (and he proudly explained to me what he had been doing as well “Dad, this one is bigger than that one, and this one is the same as that one…”). The second page was a series of 9 math equations similar to the many we remember from our past as well. Examples:
1+4
2+7
0+9

Using a technique he had learned at the school, Joey had made a series of dots next to each number and used them to count the total for each equation. He got ALL of the equations correct.

Now, to most, this action may seem trivial, but you need to remember, this kid just turned 5 and has not even started kindergarten. I know that for myself, personally, I was not even exposed to the alphabet until my half-day kindergarten class started them, and I was 6, not 5.

Joey not only knows the alphabet, but he can spell a large number of three and four letter words, he has learned phonics to help him sound them out, and is now starting into math.

This kid amazes me every day.

Jessamyn

Every morning I drive Jessamyn to school. 20 – 25 minutes each morning, just the two of us. Each morning, Jess insists I start her ‘Princess Music’ while we commute. This is a CD of Disney’s best songs sung by their famous (and revered by Jess) list of official “Princesses.” We have Jasmine from Aladdin, Cinderella, Snow White, Pocahontas, and Sleeping Beauty to listen to.

After six or eight months of listening to the same songs over and over again, the normal person would either pull the CD out and smash and burn it, or drive into the nearest large object to escape the monotony. But, in the past six months, our little daughter has grown quite the set of pipes on her as she has started to sign these songs… word for word.

Now, this isn’t any normal “babble” that so many non-child exposed adults would chalk the somewhat incoherent ditties up as being. Nope, these are word for word reproductions, with melody, of each song that Jess has heard over the past 8 months.

We first became aware of her abilities as she usually sings along with the music in the car (something I insist upon… to keep me from running into the previously mentioned solid objects), but we quickly became aware that she had strong knowledge of each tune’s lyrics as she was able to sing from start to finish without missing lines AND singing in key.

Even now, you can ask her to sing you a song (without accompanying music) and she will start right off and singing happily along. She has even incorporated the Sound of Music, songs from ‘The Muppets’, and some top-40 artists heard on the radio (thanks to Mommy) into her vast repertoire.

I think I’ve finally found a “front man” for my band… now to get Joey and Jocie to play bass and keyboards.

Jocie

Our now well accomplished walker has opted to exercise her toddler-given right to expand her “private space” and broadly explores all geography available.

As she grows into a child, I felt the need to quickly document some of her early language skills.

“ah-bum” – My favorite word, which also has a derivant ‘ah-bu-ba-bum’. This means that Jocie is generally happy and is merely trying to communicate with someone in her immediate presence. Likely translation: “Hi, I’m happy, you should be too.”

“hi-yah” – Always accompanied by a clenched right hand to her ear. This is Jocie’s interpretation of a phone call. We often have lengthy short-distance phone conversations with Jocie (often from within 1 or 2 feet of her) using this catch phrase: Likely translation: “Hi there, I’m on the phone with you.”

“ma ma ma” – Jocie uses this word interchangeably when referring to a parental figure. Jenny, Brooke, or myself are affectionately known by this word. Likely translation: “Parent, come help me. Pick me up.”

“oey” – This is universal Jocie speak for either of her two siblings (or both).

“uh oh” – Same meaning to Jocie as to us. When she drops something (often deliberately), she immediately states this. She has very appropriate usage of this word, especially in public places where she KNOWS she can get gobs of public attention by boisterously dropping a sippy-cup into an isle way and immediately screaming ‘uh oh’.

“owie” – Any time she hurts herself, she immediately claims this word. She is also aware of this condition when relating to others: she recently pointed to one of Jessamyn’s many cuts and bruises and while touching it, stated ‘owie’. Likely translation: “boo bo”, “injury”, or “you’re hurt here.”

“eye yie yie yie” – I learned this just the other day when she bonked my head accidentally and I said ‘ow’. Jocie immediately turned around, gave me a big hug, and stated this word over and over again. Likely translation: “sorry” or “I love you”.

“kit tee” – Means either cat or dog to Jocie.

From the Joey phrase book, I’ve got to post this one here (since only he would ever say/sing this to us):

“ooo – dee – doh” – We have no idea? But it was really cute when he did it!

jp

Joey and his Pirate Friends

Exhausted parents tired from a long week slip downstairs towards a basement sanctum at shortly after 10pm last Friday evening to find some solace in watch whatever Netflix has pushed at them from their queue.

Unbeknownst to them is the fact that their now five year old son has silently escaped from his bedroom to play in what was a previously clean playroom.

After probably an hour’s worth of non-parental sanctioned play, he decides to leave his paradise and return to the comforts of his now cold bed, leaving behind a scene that describes a band of pirates that have found land and are laughing as they sit around a campfire just outside a skull faced cave.

One of the deck hands, which obviously stayed behind on the black sailed pirate ship, is busy chasing a skeleton shaped ghost up the windward side of the ships rigging.

An empty cannon sits on the shore facing the sea and nearby a dinghy is perched for a quick escape, should one be needed by the shore based crew.

This wonderful story was ours to behold and was set out in the darkness of the children’s playroom by our son Joey.

jp

Joey's 5th

This past weekend we celebrated Joey’s fifth birthday party with twenty-five of his closest friends at a local venue known as “Bounceland.” The location is a industrial building that has been converted into a childrens place and filled with massive air-blower powered creations that cater towards children and adults that are young at heart. Slides, castles, obstacle courses, and houses are all a part of these massive structures that create a child’s Eden.

Jessamyn and Joey had been invited to another birthday party here that started an hour earlier so we had arrived in plenty of time for the kids to play before starting our own party.

After about a half hour Jess quietly left the bounce area and headed into a private party room for her friend’s birthday party while Joey continued to play away.

Shortly thereafter, Joey’s friends started arriving at the front door and I ran to get him from the play area so that he could greet his guests.

I was amazed at just how many friends my son has as well as how jovial and genuinely friendly they all were together.

Right away, the kids started talking about Jedi’s and Star Wars and later moving onto how much fun they were about to have “bouncing.”

Joey was proud to point out his name with the number “5” printed next to it on a wall near the entrance to all of his friends as they made their way inside.

After about ten minutes of play I was accosted, while chasing my son and his friends with my camera, by two of Jessamyn’s friends.

“Where’s Jessamyn?”

“Well, she is here but at another birthday party.”

“We want you to go and get her for us.”

At this point feeling the heated desires of two girls, I went to find my daughter as she was in the middle of eating cake at the other party.

I whisper in her ear “Jess, you have a couple of friends looking for you. Do you want to come and join them? Please?”

She wisely indicated that she’d like to finish her cake first, but that she’d be right out.

I then tried relaying this information to her friends, but found a brick wall quickly thrown in my path.

“Well, we’d like you to go and get her now, though.”

Fearing for my social life at this point, I’m trapped with no way out from these two as they have cornered me as they demanded action. Fortunately Jessamyn showed up right at that moment to save me and the three girls went running off like the three Musketeers towards the nearest slide based device.

At this point, I catch back up with Joey and his friends to take some time rough-housing with them as I chased them around one of the playthings and I acted the part of an angry beast.

Although red-faced, I’m amazed at Joey’s energy and stamina. By now, he has been playing non-stop for over. This exuberance stands in stark contrast to earlier events of the day when he first arrived at his dance class in the morning.

After a few short minutes of warm-up running, he emerged from his class looking for me stating that “Daddy, I’m really tired and I need to take a break.”

“Can’t you just sit down right here for a minute or two?” I asked as I pointed to a spot against the wall next to the door just inside the classroom.

“No, Daddy, that’s only for time-outs and I’m not being bad yet” which, coming from him was a true statement at this point, but in recent classes he and a fellow co-conspirator have routinely avoided Mr. Lonnie’s instructions during class as they craft their own “firefighter” slash “rescue hero” based scenarios instead of paying attention. I suggest that maybe he should just take it easy for a little bit and then re-join his class.

“Well, ‘ok’, I’ll go back, but I’m really tired” he says before rejoining his group as they finish up their last laps around the room. A minute later he re-emerges again saying “it’s ‘ok’ Daddy, I’m just going to the bathroom.” He rushes into the bathroom, neglecting both closing the door and turning the light on as he performs his duty in full earshot of the multitude of other parents patiently awaiting the end of the hour long dance classes.

“Ok, I’m going back in to my class now” he says on the return trip from the restroom.

This all happened seven hours ago by this point and his earlier fatigue now seems quashed as he runs non-stop through this jungle-like environment.














As we move into our private room for cake and presents am swarmed by a sea of Darth Vader faced children wearing masks my wife and Brooke spent several hours putting together in previous nights.

While my wife is cutting the cake I find my son pulling all his friends over to his present table and pumping them for information about what they got him.

“So, tell me which one you got me… ok, what’s inside it?”










A couple of them realized that they probably shouldn’t be releasing this information, but after a little more persuasion by Joey they gave in.

“Joey!” I tell him “you shouldn’t be getting your friends to tell you what they got you. That’s the point of a present. It’s all about the surprise.”

“But Dad, I was just asking them about the presents they got me. I just want to know.”

Simple logic from a five year old, I’m sure.

The plethora of presents astounds both Jenny and I. He’s gotten more gifts than we’ve ever seen for him. Enough that we have to institute a policy of ‘only one gift per day’ can be opened.

A friend makes a statement that almost brings me to his knees as he approaches Joey while he’s opening his presents “Joey, can I have your address and phone number so I can give them to my mom to setup a time for me to come over and play with all your new toys.”

Children really do wear their hearts on their sleeves.

A wonderful party is had by all as another year passes and our little boy becomes not so little anymore.

jp

Great Wolf Lodge (Take 2)

This past weekend we drove up to Traverse City to attend our second annual family vacation at the Great Wolf Lodge of the North with the kids. Although the park has remained the same during the past year, our children’s abilities have definitely grown and matured when compared against the previous year's mental metrics.

Last year, Joey was adamant about not going down any of the park’s larger slides when we were there in April of 2007, but after a rather forced trial experience this time, he made the return runs in an almost constant vigil.

Jessamyn had been our more adventurous child previously and this time she kept her daring side flaring as she too attempted even larger slides and met the challenges with positivity.

Even our little Jocie experienced her first ride down the slides!

This year we were met at the park by our good friends the McClish’s. Their children, Maddie, Logan, and Kennedy played hand-in-hand with our children as they pushed each other's abilities in games and challenges that I would never have expected them to do on their own.

Joey and Logan began game of ‘jump in’ where they both pretended to be firefighters that were busy rescuing imaginary victims from the pools.

Jessamyn and Maddie took to the park’s massive fort and descended the slides time and time again as they ran happily through its structure.

As parents, we enjoyed having friends to share the experiences with this time as well as employing a “group parenting” strategy to manage the six children that ran like wild beasts through the forty thousand square feet of water park.

I look forward to next year’s visit and can’t wait for it to come.

jp

Joey’s 5th Birthday

Today is it!!! Today is the day!!! Today is Joey’s birthday!!!

He was awoke by his mother early this morning to celebrate his birthday with the family before we each had to head out for the days events. Jenny had spent hours getting the kitchen table just right for his birthday morning private celebrations before he went to school. Steamers were hung from the doorway, his chair wrapped with varying colors of tissue paper, presents set out for him, and early morning plans for his favorite breakfast of pancakes were made late last night.

In the morning, all plans were executed with great success and met with joy by Joey who was ever to excited to be the center of the morning's attention.

This is the first birthday that he has really anticipated. He has known for weeks that this day was coming and he has been telling everyone he knows that it is going to be his firth birthday.

As of a month ago, Joey wasn’t too sure that he wanted to turn five. He had actually protested the eventuality in favor of a second ‘fourth’ birthday. Weeks ago a discussion was had between mother and son during which he made clear his desires to actually turn ‘five’, much to my chagrin.



Since that point, we have been party to an endless dialogue about the impending birthday event from our eldest child. He has been very determined that this is HIS birthday and that he is going to have it regardless of our contrarian misgivings.



Another round of weeklong birthday parties and events is in his schedule that was kicked off this morning.

Undoubtedly the ceremonial birthday celebrations will not take on the extreme nature that became a month long event for his fourth birthday. Hopefully he will settle for just three of four parties this year….

jp

The Long Lasting Mockery

• Driving home from work early yesterday morning (to spend the rest of the day working from home since I’m still feeling ill with the flue), I turned on NPR and caught the start of Diane Rheem’s 11:00am show. Her guest was Jodee Blanco, a renowned author that has just released her second book titled “Please Stop Laughing at Us”, which deals with Bullying in schools.
  
  I was so taken by the things she had to say that I actually had to pull into a park rather than finish driving home so that I could finish listening to her. Several times during that hour I caught myself going to tears after hearing her very passionate points about Bullying and in drawing parallels to my own horrifying experiences growing up.
  
  Some very important points that she made are:
  
  · It’s not Just Joking Around! You are creating emotional scars that will hurt each other for the rest of your lives!
  · Bullies don’t realize that they are being bullies.
  · As adults, we don’t bully each other the same way that teens and children do.
  · Physical bullying is bad, but psychological bullying has a more profound and lasting impact.
  · Physical bullying usually starts earlier (elementary) and turns into psychological bullying later.
  · Telling kids to ignore the Bullys is the WORST POSSIBLE THING to tell them. They need to confront the bully and very non-emotionally tell them to ‘Stop!’
  · React in the moment, take immediate action as the bullying occurs.
  · Telling kids who are bullied that they need to modify their behavior or just try to fit in is WRONG!
  · Realize that there is nothing wrong about you. It is what is right about you that makes you a target for bullying.
  · Reach out to a trusted adult for help.
  · Develop an alternate social network “One Town Over”.
  · Realize that school is not the center of the world! This is a big one, at least it was for me.
  
  Jodee talked about children who are the victims of bullying as being the ‘Ancient Child’ or ‘and old soul trapped in a childs body.’ These are children who often get along better with adults, have more compassion for others, and seem to lack the social hang-ups that lead to peer mockery. Their inner being seems to be guided by a soul of mature intellect that manifests itself in an inability to cope with bullying while at the same time making them capable of enormous love for others and an agility toward createing meaningful bonds with adults.
  
  In listening to the show, I couldn’t help but remember the many playground horrors that befell my own childhood. I was relentlessly teased and mocked for reasons that were never clear to me and in coping with them I had internalized and blamed them on myself.
  
  The horrors of bullying and mockery fall through to my deepest confidences even to this day.
  
  With a name of ‘Jay’, it would take a neanderthal intellect not to be able to connect to a child bully rhyme that would easily started the mockery, but, given the misguided adults issue handling of the time, my ignorance and lack of action towards the bullying only made the issues worse. Not ever being one that to handle conflict, I was never able to handle my attackers in an effort to confront them. As the bullying got worse in later years, the subjects of the attacks upon ranged to far more broad personal subjects as the kids reached further and further to find barbs to throw at me.
  
  Powerless to affect change on the worsening situation, I had even tried involving my mother, who contacted the school system several times, but changes never seemed to happen and the mockery continued.
  
  I had but one friend who remained faithful through all of this, and in the mockery, the two of us seemed to be united and often shared solace in each other presence at the hands of our tormentors. At least we had each other and our imaginations to take us away from the childhood hells that were our lives at school.
  
  The knocks to my self-confidence manifested their long term effects on my persona at first in an inability to accept my physical appearance and later progressed into a fear of creating meaningful bonds with children my age. I live with these emotional blemishes even today and find thinking about these times very difficult. It is also these fears and traumas that lead to a dislike for school at an early age (and probably into my future experiences) and disdain towards the educational community in general.
  
  It was not until my sophomore year in high school that I was able to doff these chains of social catastrophe and start anew in another school system. The uprooting resulted in a whole new status on the social ladder that bolstered my self confidence and lead to a much more favorable self image.
  
  The stigma that had been attached to my previous existence was wiped clean and found no presence in my new school.
  
  Remarkably, this is one of the recommended solutions that Jodee discussed on Diane’s talk show. She recommends going “one town over” in trying to re-establish meaningful social ties into another community to help create confidence. Having lived through this change myself, I can truly attest to its significance in creating change in a horrible situation created by bullying.
  
  In my new life, I was also surrounded by a great family and some wonderful friends who established “cool” as an image of intellect and self-expression of unique qualities rather than conformity and economic status.
  
  My step brother, Ray, became an instant hero and role model to me with his ability to take down would-be bullies using only his mind. High school hallway mockeries were quickly met with a battle won by wit in the form of retorts that left the assailant spinning mentally as he tried to make sense at the quick verbal barrage that just publicly stripped them of their manly existence.
  
  Another friend, Mike, quickly demonstrated how being a “geek” really could be a cool thing and showed that it’s not about what you wear or own it’s about how you view life and make friends that matters. Even to this day this life-long friend has inspired me with his confident image and amazing outlook on life.
  
  The redefinition of traits that were normally seen as harbingers for mockery into stellar points in social leaders left me with inspiration and self determination that maybe I really wasn’t as horrible a person as the playground bullies of my earlier years had made me think.
  
  Mike has gone on to amazing things in his life: helping multitudes of families while serving in the Peace Corps, a band leader, lyricist, mentor, and President of our region’s American Cancer Society.
  
  My step-brother Ray went on to finish his Master’s Degree, become a famed TV personality, and now lives happily married to a most amazing wife and run a successful Internet business together.
  
  Seeing really is believing in life and maybe someday the meek really will inherit the Earth, but, my life changed due to the influence dealt by these bullies yet I was saved by friends and family and now I feel I’ve worked to make the most from these early setbacks.
  
  None of this would have been possible without significant life changes on the part of my mother, and I will always thank her for that.
  
  Today, my greatest concern comes with regard to my son who is now walking his way down this same path. His wonderful personality, compassion, and outward love are going to leave him open to the mockery of those that lack understanding and appreciation for him.
  
  Being only five, some of the neighbor kids have already realized this difference in him and I fear that any repercussions may grow stronger over the years. His two closest neighbor friends are very athletic, something that Joey is not, and they play with ruthless determination when it comes to backyards sports. Joey always wants to participate, but doesn’t have the same fascination about sports that they do.
  
  I worry that as the boys get older, this “split” will further drive their friendships apart and may be the jumping grounds for a significant chasm between their social circles.
  
  We have made some very strong choices about the schooling that Joey will be going through in the form of private school which I think will help foster his wonderful nature that our son has.
  
  I want him to be an emotional leader from his experiences rather than the emotionally pummeled child that I was.
  
  Jodee’s segment was a thought provoking discussion that is something that I would hope every parent of either a child who is picked or the bully would investigate further into. Both Jenny and I listed to the program and will be going out and buying both of her books in the hopes that it will help us to be aware of potential problems and their resolutions as our children grow up.
  
  jp

February Musings

In contrast to her normal “bubbly baby” personality, Jocie has recently been a much more subdued, calm, quiet, and very cuddly baby. Although I’ve loved this recent character trait, it is indicative of a more pressing issue. Compounded by our daughter’s entrance into our room this morning announcing that her head hurt, my wife took the whole family to the Pediatrician this morning.

A double-ear infection for Jocie is the culprit for the change of personality, and Jessamyn has been stricken with ‘strep throat.’ Joey was luckily exempt for illness as should be expected by his rather intense concoction of drugs, antibiotics, and allergy medicines prescribed to help treat a chronic sinus infection aggravated by allergies.

Stuck in the middle of the “Winter Blues”, I guess this is as good a time as any for our children to be sick, though, it is hard trying to get a good night’s sleep in our household.

Here are some updates on the family members:

Joey did amazingly well at his second skiing lesson of the year and even earned himself a pair of Scott goggles, which he has been proudly wearing (with helmet) around the house claiming that he is either a Power Ranger, FireFighter, or Soldier. On my cube wall now hang the output of his imaginative artistry from this past weekend as he colored me several paintings of firefighters spraying black tipped hoses gushing blue water that seems to move in directions I’ve never thought possible. I’m sure my mother often dotted her own private spaces with similar creations in my youth. It adds to the hundreds of photos of my family and our vacations that line my office walls.

Jessamyn is sort of experiencing a pre-teen ten-year early attitude disorder where she gets very moody, crosses her arms, scowls, and will not participate in anything. She did this last Saturday during her weekly ballet class. In watching through the window, we noted that for most of the hour she would be seen standing in this position and ignoring the rest of the surrounding class. It’s as if she is trying to say “I’ll ignore you and act mad until I get what I want.” Oh, it assuredly is just a phase, but, a tough one to deal with as “Ms. Nice” seems to involve herself in everything and when she gets scolded or can’t affect change on the rest of the family, out comes “Ms. Temper Tantrum.” Most of the time, though, she is just as sweet as can be and continues to be a great helper and caretaker over her little sister. Ask anything of Jess, and she'll most likely do it.

Jocie refuses to learn to walk, following a similar pattern of her elder siblings whom also refuted the task as long as possible. Instead, she opts to Stand, Clap, Fall to Knees, Crawl to next destination, and Repeat. Nice and cute… ‘till I started noticing the DVD player in the bedroom having an odd desire to keep coming to life sometime between the morning and when I come home from work, whence I turn it off again. We even tried teaching her to descend stairs, but this seems to end in a few stairs down and ten stairs up to the top, and she’s gone playing again.

Jenny and Brooke continue their momentous schooling endeavors with constant studying and discussions about what teacher said what, who did what in their class, and just how much they can’t wait to be done with class.

Me? Well, I’m still trying to decide if I’m going to stay on the fire deparment. I’m taking pictures every chance I get (and reading lots of books to try to improve my abilities). Someday soon, I hope to play drums with my friend Scott.

jp

Doing homework with Joey

Last night, I had my most favorite annual training with the Fire Department: Ice Rescue Training!!! Yay! Honestly, folks, when else would you be able to jump in a local lake that is frozen over with ice and take a half-hour swim with your friends when its 16 degrees out and snowing? We do wear 'Mustang' suits which are the rescue service's equivalent of a dry-suit (SCUBA reference here), so I guess its kinda cheating in a way. Believe it or not, you actually get warm floating out there in the water... I know I do.

While I was at training, the girls (Jenny and Brooke) had an enchanting encounter with our son Joey....

Well after bedtime, ~8pm, the two homework-doers noted the discerning rustling sound that indicates that children-non-sleeping-after-parents-put-them-to-bed-ness so often encountered in that hour long period post lights out.

Yes, both Joey and Jess love to neglect the immediate sleep desires that their parents nightly attempt to enforce like chasing peas across your hibachi plate using chopsticks after a full helping of sake (not that I would know what that's like). Let's try this... its like having a plate of magnets and trying to organize them using a reverse polarized magnet: it just never connects. And so, they just never go to sleep at a decent time each night.

So, our nightly routine elongates itself on a very repetitious calendar, yet, I think we might actually enjoy it, even if it does create great stress while in the thick of it.

Last nights two hour excursion led the two slumber eluders into Joey's room, wherein Jess denoted that her "Princesses" were attempting to take a flight on Joey's Christmas gift from Grandpa Jim - a two foot long plane, of course - with a destination of 'Disney World.'

When told about the current predicament ("it is after your bedtime", "you need to go to sleep", "you're driving us nuts"... you name the nightly parental excuse - we all make up the same ones), Jess replied in a very defacto mannerism that they were interrupting her now already in-progress flight and that they'd need to wait untill post Disney arrival before she'd even allow the possibility of a return to her room.

So, somehow that situation was mitigated by the Brooke and Jenny, and Joey and Jess were settled into their rooms in the hope that they would stay there and sleep.

A quiet and uninterrupted half-hour passes.

Joey arrives in the living room - as if out of nowhere, I'm sure, as he has a way of silently stalking you and then just running up and making a blazen statement while you're bewildered with the shock of his presence with assuaging reasoning of something like: "My fire boat just fell off my bed, and... I was getting it and I realized that I was thirsty, so I got something to drink, and my blankie was not in my bed, so I got it, and... and.. I just thought I tell you that... I love you. Good night'. And like that, he usually just disappears back into the darkness of the ascending stairs and goes back to sleep without further ado.

But, this was not the case last night.

Now, remember, all this is coming second hand from both Jenny and Brooke, so, I might missing some details, but, I've laughed about this since hearing it, so here it goes...

At initial arrival, Joey's nightly statement this evening was that 'he was hungry.' Not too surprising, as both he and his elder sister seem to defer dining at the family dinner table each evening by opting to torment the rest of us with a continual stream of reflective statements about what one did to the other, or about this magic ability they both have to just know that they aren't going to like a particular food just by visual inspection, or with Jessamyn's constant inability to sit still at the table - she always slips down or off to the side of the chair before announcing the infraction, or the now every night Joeyism of: "oh, it's time to eat and now I need to state to everyone that I have to go potty".

Needless to say, this script of actions prevents the actual proper intake of sustenance by each inmate, and thus results in a late-night request for food (something they hope they'll like better than what they should have eaten at the dinner table, like fruit snacks or a granola bar) at the point of tucking them into bed and saying 'good night.'

Jenny was able to assuage his desires by immediately producing an apple that had been earlier placed in her book back in case she felt the need while at class.

Munch... munch... munch...

"Oh... I'm thirsty.... Don't worry, I'll get it myself."

An almost elven looking figure of our child, acting adult, takes himself into the bathroom to grab a stool which is then used to assist with a mountaineer-like climb onto the counter by which access to the glass storing cupboard is made. He procured a glass that was then half-filled with freshly gotten water from the refrigerator's allocation device.

He returns to sit with the two elder students still engrossed in their studies.

He eats a little more.

Munch... munch... sip... munch... spill

"Oops. I spill-ed some of my water. Don't worry, I'll clean it up."

He again returns to the kitchen, fetches a paper towel, even though his mother had advised him to grab the "blue" towel from the handle of the stove, and returns to the living room.

He cleans his mess up.

"What are you guys doing?"

"We're doing our home work."

"Oh.... I wanna cuddle."

So, he takes what remains of his apple, the paper towel used to clean up his mess with, and his empty glass to the kitchen, throws the apple and towel away and places the glass next to the sink. Such a good boy!

After a few minutes of cuddling at Jenny's feet, he sits bolt upright and states:

"Ok, I'm done cuddling now."

He then starts reciting his own version of the 'Doe, Ray, Me' song most of us remember from the 'Sound of Music', but he's been working on at school. Although, out of order, he gets the melody right 'Doe and deer, ray a drop of sun, doe ray me.'

When asked what he was doing, the following objection was voiced:

"Shh, I'm doing my homework!!" he states tersely.

And he proceedes again with working on his song.

Jenny interjects: "I really must speak with Mrs. Kelpin about this homework she has given you that keeps you up past 9pm."

He keeps working on his "homework."

"Ok, I'm done with my homework now. I beat you guys. I'm done with my homework before you two are."

And with that, he heads up to bed, not to be heard from again 'till morning.

Of course, I missed all of this, but a very jubilant Jenny and Brooke shared every detail with me.

jp