All about Lev

My little Lev is turning into quite the joker.

Joke number 1: About a month ago, Lev started calling everything and everyone "bad guy." I know, when you read that in black-and-white, it sounds a little frightening, but Lev is so sweet-spirited in every other way, and he says "bad guy" with such an impish smile, that it's clearly a joke.

The new fountain by our house? Decorated with water-spitting bad guys.

Bad guys. That he build HIMSELF.

Plastic letters? Bad guys. Mama and Daddy? Bad guys. The contenders in the presidential debates? Bad guys. Lev himself?

Bad guy.
 
Joke number 2: "What do you want to drink, Lev? Milk or juice?"

"Ooce!"

As soon as I start pouring the "ooce:" "Milk, milk, milk!"

Joke number 3: Lev sits down on a bus bench. There's a boy sitting next to him. Lev looks over and say, "Boy!"

"Yes, that's right," I reply.

Lev proceeds to point at the boy's very feminine mother and proclaims: "Boy!"

"Nope, she's a girl," I say.

"No! Boy! Boy! Boy," he replies giggling.

Sometimes I luck out, and people don't understand the not-really-appropriate things that my kids say. For instance, the helper in Dietrich's former class didn't speak any English, which was good, as he was prone to say, "I don't like her," when she walked by.

Alas, the boy's mom spoke English. But, thankfully, she giggled, too. 

For the boys

Eric and I are going to be away at a conference for a week, and I'm feeling a bit, um, emotional about leaving my munchkins. They are in good -- no, make that excellent -- hands, but still. I miss them already, and I don't leave for another 24 hours.

I've tried to funnel some of that emotional energy into things that, I hope, will help them realize I'm thinking of them, even if I'm not present with them. I've made playdough. I've packed up little goodie bags. I've constructed a count-down-the-days chain, with a note from me on each day.

And, I made these videos. Each night, I'll sing and read to the boys from the comfort of Miss Lois' laptop. Do you need a bedtime story and a lullaby? If so, watch on!

reading from josie oldenburg on Vimeo.


singing from josie oldenburg on Vimeo.