Coupling

Overheard while Leo was playing with action figures:

Action figure 1:"Yawn. It's morning. I'd better get dressed."
Action figure 2: "Oh, honey?"
Action figure 1: "Yes, my dear?"
Action figure 2: "I'd like you to go to the baby store and buy me a baby."
Action figure 1: "Oh, Okay."

Some moments later:

Action figure 1: "Here you are."
Action figure 2: "Oh, thank you. This is a great baby."

...mama...mama...various baby sounds...crash...bang...smash...

Action figure 2: "Aaah! Oh no! My baby!"

At this point I peeked my head around the corner to see what he was doing. The best part...Action figure 1 was lego spiderman. Action figure 2 was a storm trooper. And the baby?

That was a mini monster truck.

words of wisdom

Yesterday I had to take the bus to work. I've been recording some voices for some episodes of a friends on line radio serial program (Check it out, it's at www.decoderringtheatre.com ) and, although it's a volunteer project, I force everyone in the family to take it seriously by calling it my work.

I walked out the door, after saying my good-byes and giving hugs and kisses to Leo (And surreptitiously kissing Russell a few times. You have to be very sneaky when you're saying good-bye to Russell. He can't handle separation very well right now.)and had just started off down the sidewalk when Leo came running out after me.

"Have a good day!" he called.

"Don't talk to strangers! Don't hit any cars! And don't call anyone an idiot!"

Thanks, Leo. I'll try to remember that.

Have you ever felt at home in the strangest places? I took the boys to Toronto Comic Con yesterday and, I admit, I was a bit worried that we would feel a little out of place. We don't hang out in comic shops very often and we don't watch a lot of shows on the Space Network (Doctor Who being the main exception) and Leo gets uncomfortable around stormtroopers. I honestly didn't know how the boys would react to all of the hoopla, the people in costumes and the grownups with way cooler collections of toys than all three of them put together. In truth, I wasn't sure how I would react either. But it was amazing.

Yesterday turned out to be one of the best days that I've spent with all three of my kids and considering that I had to manage them plus a stroller, diaper bag, snacks and drinks, on city buses, go trains and streetcars, as well as herding them through a large and crowded convention centre, I'm amazed that it was as pleasurable as it was. But, truly, we had so much fun. We got to test drive video games that haven't been released yet, we spent way too much money on Batman monster trucks and Star Wars bobbleheads that we don't need, Aidan got to watch teenagers in a real live Yu gi oh battle and quiz them for tips and tactics and Leo even touched the helmet of a member of the Imperial Guard. How could I ever have imagined that we would be uncomfortable? Afterall, I dress up in corsets and perform in the dirt in Faery Festivals. These are my people and if I'd had a Princess Leia costume I would have worn it, although possibly not on the go train.

Flicker

When you ask Russell to close his eyes, he scrunches up his nose and cheeks as though, if he really, really tried, he could get his bottom eyelids to reach up and touch his top ones. Maybe they'd even go right past the top ones and all the way up to his eyebrows. He seems to be working that hard.

Of course, I don't have a picture. I never seem to have a camera at the right moment. But I just thought you might like to know.