Filed under: Awkward Conversations, Drama, Get All Mushy, My Kids, People I Know, Things I Overheard | Tags: kids, overheard, running away, transition
Three years ago, H (my childhood BFF) moved to Ottawa.
It was weird and exciting, as we’d been pretty out of touch with each other’s lives for our 20’s — saving sporadic contact for weddings and congrats at the safe delivery of babies, etc. I was really glad to have the opportunity to get reacquainted and relieved that, despite the years of radio silence, she was still the same person I remembered.
What I didn’t anticipate was the connection she’d forge with my kids. My oldest was intrigued by the adult who didn’t speak down to him and taught him the basics of chess. My youngest fell head over heels in love, creating detailed stories about what they’d do when he grew up — always ending in marrying her.
With H moving to Alberta, I was anticipating a bit of fall-out — not from #1, as he easily rationalized it and decided he could talk to her on the computer or in email — but from my youngest, for whom going away is still rather mixed up with the “going away” that happened when his Grammie died this winter.
Nothing prepared me for what actually happened.
Filed under: Activism, Awkward Conversations, My Kids, Things I Overheard | Tags: environmentalism, Fit-in 15, greenpeace, kids, overheard
I incorporated some machine-dodging and crater-hopping into today’s Fit-in 15 entry and took #2 on some neighbourhood errands. While walking on Armstrong behind the GT Express, #2 spied some litter in the road and made the following comment:
Filed under: City of Ottawa, My Kids, Things I Overheard | Tags: Amos, Hintonburg, humor, kids, ottawa, overheard
A couple weeks ago, during a meat brining binge with friends, we were visited by a friendly little marmalade cat named Amos. #2, a motherly sort of boy who instinctively believes that everyone and everything is his friend, decided he was going to take Amos under his wing and show him the ropes of living in our house.
He coaxed him indoors, introduced him to the cat food dishes, showed him the boys’ room, and tried to help him make friends with our cats. Once he declared he was renaming the cat “Paul”, we decided it was time to help Amos find his way back home. Fortunately his address was on his harness and his house was around the corner. The three of us carted him back to his home and #2 said goodbye.
Filed under: My Kids, Things I Overheard | Tags: dung beetles, kids, overheard, potty talk
My boys clearly watch too much David Attenborough:
#2: “Let’s go play more dung beetles. You be the big brother dung beetle and I’ll be the baby dung beetle.”
#1: “Okay.”
#2: “I’ll push the small ball of poop.”
