Recent Will-isms

"Mommy. I'm taking all the money out of my bank and guess what? I'm going to the store and I'm going to BUY SOMETHING! But don't worry, I'll give the rest to poor people. Or, maybe I'll just put a little aside for college."

To most random strangers wherever we go: "I'm four and a half and this is my baby Charlie, he's only zero and a half."

"Daddy, I hate to tell you this, but I'm going to have to share with you."

"I'm pretty sure that Charlie is the cutest baby in the world. He will always be my sweetheart."

"Mommy, I think I don't want to do any more chores. I'm just a kid and I've got enough money."

New Dublin

Every year the town of New London, Wis., stages one of the top 10 St. Patrick's Day parades in the country. The town also temporarily changes its name to New Dublin. Jana and Will went to it two years ago and Jana raved about it. Charlie and I came along this year on a beautiful day.

This thing lasted almost two hours! It really was something, the highlight being a wake-on-wheels in which a casket falls out of a hearse; you sort of have to be there to understand it.

We met up with our friend Sara and her daughters Brooke and Lilly, parade veterans. It's safe to say this won't be our last time in New Dublin!

Deep from the hearta

Last week our friend Beth stayed with us while our company was holding a meeting in Iola. Beth hails from Texas, and brought along some authentic Texas gifts. Will got a cowboy costume, which he wore to day care on Wednesday. Charlie got a University of Texas shirt, the color and logo of which are favorites of me and Jana.

Beth speaks with a slight accent, and after spending about an hour here Will said, "Daddy, Beth brought me cowboy stuff and she talks like a cowgirl."

Thanks to Beth for the wonderful gifts and for spending a terrific week with us!

Charlie bit my finger

No, not our previous little four-toothed toddler. That Charlie from the UK. I can see this happening with our boys at some point in the future -- Will tempting Charlie to hurt him, then getting upset when it happens ... and Charlie reveling in it. Thanks to Sara for sending along!

The baldest dude in the locker room

Took Will swimming at the local aquatic center as part of a kindergarten parent outreach program. When we entered the locker room we saw his friend Dylan, whose father is, like me, showing a lot of skin on his head. But apparently not as much as me.

"Hey Dylan!!!" Will screamed. "My daddy is waaaaay balder than yours!!!"

Judging from how we make fun of my dad/Will's grandpa, I imagine these jokes will cease ... never.

Tenderized

After getting home tonight Will provoked me into a wrestling match. I was Mr. Green (Will vetoed my first name, Mr. Pink), Will was SuperBoy, and Charlie was Mar Mar (naturally Will names him as if he were a dolphin).

Early on, Will got off balance, fell, and hit his head a bit. He went to the freezer and got his Bob the Builder ice pack, placing it on the boo boo. Same thing happened about five minutes later. Then he complained about hurting his side.

"You've got to fight through the pain," I told him. And he did, valiantly.

For about five minutes. After one of my patented moves, Will complained with another "Ow." When I repeated my line about fighting through the pain, he objected.

"But Daddy, you're not being tender enough with me!"

You know, because wrestling is typically a tender sport.

More hair

Beat that, Uncle Nick's old driver's license!

Kisses

It's nice that Charlie is still so small and cuddly -- we're in no hurry for him to get big!

We love the Hampton Inn West Bend!

Charlie with his aunt and uncle about a month ago.

Napping

How old is this kid? Fifteen?

Where you going with that finger Charlie?

Will has taught his younger brother so much already.

Nope, I don't got it

"Mommy, how's this sound?"

Will piped up from the back of the van on the way to school with another one of his plans to change his world.

"OK. This is how it's going to go ... I won't watch TV one week and then I will watch TV the next week, then I won't watch the next week, then I will watch. What do you think about that? Doesn't that sound like a good idea?"

"Well," I responded, impressed by his ever-growing negotiation skills. "I'm not sure. How much TV are you talking about?"

"None! I wouldn't watch ANY TV that week."

"Right. I get that, but what about the weeks that you DO get to watch TV?"

"No. Mommy. Listen. I wouldn't watch ANY TV one week, then I would the next week, and then I wouldn't again the next week ... do you see the patt-ren?"

"Yes. I see the pattern. But I'm asking if on the weeks that you DO get to watch TV if you're going to watch TV all the time or just in the mornings and on weekends or what?"

"AAAARGGGHHH! You just don't get it! I wouldn't watch at all one week, then I would the next!"

We continued on like that for awhile and, when I was exhausted and feeling like I'd just been cross-examined by Johnny Cochran, I finally gave up.

"No. I don't like that plan, Will."

"What?? Why??"

"Because I said so."

I don't like to lean on that old standby, but, gosh, that felt so good.

Problems

This afternoon we were at our friend Katy's house, where Katy and her parents had watched the boys while we attended a church function for Jana. I noticed Charlie pooping, and moved quickly to change his diaper to prevent leakage.

Charlie, as you know if you've been around him lately, doesn't sit still when getting his diaper changed. I asked Will, who was doing nothing in particular nearby, for some help.

"Can't, I have to go poop myself," he said.

"Daddy, I've got my own problems."

I'm sort of curious about what those are, but didn't have time to ask him as he disappeared into the bathroom.