Month / February 2009

"I can’t hear you!"


Char went down to Florida last week to help her mom get back on her feet after emergency appendectomy surgery. She flew down there with the twins and left Lily and Jack home with me. (Much to their chagrin, I can tell you. The week started with Abby bragging about getting to fly on an airplane before either of them.)

Apparently, Abby packed her attitude for the trip. While swimming, she hit Grace in the face with one of those foam noodles. Grace yelled, “Mom! Abby hit me with her noodle!”

Char turned and began to correct her. “Abby,” she started, “please don’t hit…”

At that moment, Abby put her head back to move her ears under the water and said, “I can’t hear you!”

[View more photos from their trip]

“I’m sorry, Dad.”

So, the night before last, Jack has the idea that he knows how to make it snow. He puts his pajamas on inside out, flushes an ice cube down the toilet, and sleeps with a spoon under his pillow.

He wakes up to pouring rain, and it rains all day. Late last night, while still raining and very windy, Char and I heard a huge ‘thump’ from outside. One of our large elm trees was uprooted and came crashing to the ground, narrowly missing a couple other trees and completely covering the roadway.

On the way to school today, Jack says, “I’m sorry, Dad.”

“For what?”

“For making it rain,” he answered.

So… I was torn. I could tell him that his little ritual didn’t really make it rain and possibly crush him. Or I could just accept his apology.

The choice was ultimately easy. I said, “Next time, try flushing two ice cubes.”