Todd, on hearing Mommy and Daddy talking about boneless chicken (to eat/cook):
"Well... how does it walk?"
Clearly he was thinking of something along the lines of the Cousin Boneless character on the "Cow and Chicken" cartoon!
Birthday Boy Drives
On the way to Disneyland for Daddy's 40th birthday, Daddy found himself at the wheel during the long stretch of the drive. He demanded to know how he, the birthday boy, ended up being the one to drive!
Todd's response?
"You're not a birthday BOY. You're a birthday MAN!"
Todd's response?
"You're not a birthday BOY. You're a birthday MAN!"
Loose Tooth!
Todd's loose tooth finally came out tonight! It came out while he was eating dinner. He noticed something felt strange in his mouth full of food, and pulled it out. He didn't quite realize it was his tooth until he turned it over to the root and noticed blood on it. He joyfully exclaimed the news to us, and we all rushed over to have a look at this latest milestone. Todd examined himself in the mirror and kept touching his tongue to the gaping hole in the bottom of his front teeth. We took some pictures for posterity.
He looks a bit like he's grimacing, but since the tooth came from the bottom row, an ordinary smile would have simply covered up the hole with his bottom lip.
Speaking of loose teeth, last night while brushing his teeth, I noticed that the tooth next to his (what was then really really loose) now missing tooth was starting to loosen, as well. In a few weeks, that gaping hole will become even larger :-)
He looks a bit like he's grimacing, but since the tooth came from the bottom row, an ordinary smile would have simply covered up the hole with his bottom lip.
Speaking of loose teeth, last night while brushing his teeth, I noticed that the tooth next to his (what was then really really loose) now missing tooth was starting to loosen, as well. In a few weeks, that gaping hole will become even larger :-)
Don't say "nothing"!
Tonight during dinner Daddy and Todd were teasing each other. I don't quite remember what exactly Todd was doing to Daddy, but Daddy first responded with "Owww!" even though it wasn't supposed to hurt.
Annoyed that Daddy was claiming pain when there wasn't supposed to be any, Todd instructed him: "Don't say 'Owww'!" before doing it again.
Daddy complied, of course. This time he said: "Ouch!!"
Todd became even more annoyed, so this time he issued more detailed instructions. You could practically see his thought process as he spoke the words.
"Don't say 'Oww' or 'Ouch'..."
(wait a minute... that just means he'll say something else)
"... say nothing!"
(wait a minute, I know my Daddy. He'll just say the word "Nothing" instead)
"... but don't say 'Nothing'!"
by this time Daddy and Mommy were laughing too hard to say anything-- Todd knows his father soooo well! A little too well, perhaps. Certainly well enough to know what his Dad would do and to foil any such attempts!
Annoyed that Daddy was claiming pain when there wasn't supposed to be any, Todd instructed him: "Don't say 'Owww'!" before doing it again.
Daddy complied, of course. This time he said: "Ouch!!"
Todd became even more annoyed, so this time he issued more detailed instructions. You could practically see his thought process as he spoke the words.
"Don't say 'Oww' or 'Ouch'..."
(wait a minute... that just means he'll say something else)
"... say nothing!"
(wait a minute, I know my Daddy. He'll just say the word "Nothing" instead)
"... but don't say 'Nothing'!"
by this time Daddy and Mommy were laughing too hard to say anything-- Todd knows his father soooo well! A little too well, perhaps. Certainly well enough to know what his Dad would do and to foil any such attempts!
Saving for a house
Evidently Todd's classmates must have made mention of the fact that they get allowances, for Todd inquired today about them. Then he explained what he was planning to do with the money we're supposed to give him every week:
"I'm going to save it, and when you're ready to buy a house, when you have almost enough money to buy a house, I'll give you some of my allowance to help pay for it!"
... never mind that this money is originally coming from our paychecks to begin with... hey, it's the thought that counts, right?
"I'm going to save it, and when you're ready to buy a house, when you have almost enough money to buy a house, I'll give you some of my allowance to help pay for it!"
... never mind that this money is originally coming from our paychecks to begin with... hey, it's the thought that counts, right?
More "fun" at school
Today provided some more school-related drama, courtesy of our friend Loftur. Remember him? If not, you can refresh your memory at: http://toddsdiary.blogspot.com/2010/01/school-daze.html
At lunch today, I watched as Loftur savagely beat his sandwich against the table. He was unhappy that it was... well, whatever it was, he didn't like it. He threw it against his bag, thumped at it a few times, then took it out and slammed it on the table, where he proceeded to bash his fist into it several times, until one of the older kids told him to knock it off. Okay, not really eyebrow-raising, as that type of behavior is pretty much par for the course for this kid.
What happened later was more frustrating, however.
Allan got a call from Todd and Loftur's teacher this evening, informing us that Loftur had hit Todd because Todd apparently told another kid, Johnny, something that Loftur had asked him not to tell. Sounds like Todd told a secret he shouldn't have, right? Still no excuse for Loftur to slap him on the eye, but still something we should discuss with Todd, right? Guess again.
Turns out this is what had really happened:
Johnny, a second-grader, was reading to the class. The teacher slipped out of the classroom while he read, putting him "in charge" of the class. Now, courtesy, common sense and rules dictate that other students do not talk while someone is reading. So what do you suppose happened while Johnny read aloud? Why, the same thing that always happens everyday: Loftur turned and talked to Todd.
Todd, aware of the rules, piped up and told Johnny (who, remember, was "in charge") that Loftur had talked, upon which Johnny did what any teacher would've done: put a check mark next to Loftur's name on the board. This incensed Loftur so much that he slapped Todd in the face, and THAT's evidently when he told Todd that he shouldn't have told Johnny.
When their teacher returned, Todd told her Loftur had slapped him. She turned to Loftur and asked if that was true. He confirmed. She asked why. He replied with exactly what I stated above: that Todd had told Johnny something Loftur had asked him not to tell. In other words, the kid lied to make it sound like Todd did something wrong. (of course, even if that were true, that's still no excuse for slapping him)
So what does the teacher do? Rather than get Todd's side of it, or even ask Johnny what happened, she is satisfied with this version of things and sends Todd to the office to get some ice. And since anytime kids go anywhere outside of class, they are accompanied by a buddy, who do you suppose she sent out with Todd? Why, none other than his affirmed slapper-- Loftur!
So, let's see... she left a room full of 1st and 2nd graders alone at least twice. Strike one. Then she took in only one side of the story. Strike two. Then she pairs Todd and Loftur as they leave the classroom shortly after this incident. Strike three?
While I'm furious that Loftur basically lied to the teacher about what happened, and am thus concerned about the effects such habits/behaviors have on Todd, I'm even more incensed about how their teacher went about all this. It's really hard to have faith in and support (both financially and by word-of-mouth) a school where my son's teacher doesn't keep discipline in the class properly, and even leaves them alone (however brief that period may be). Sigh...
At lunch today, I watched as Loftur savagely beat his sandwich against the table. He was unhappy that it was... well, whatever it was, he didn't like it. He threw it against his bag, thumped at it a few times, then took it out and slammed it on the table, where he proceeded to bash his fist into it several times, until one of the older kids told him to knock it off. Okay, not really eyebrow-raising, as that type of behavior is pretty much par for the course for this kid.
What happened later was more frustrating, however.
Allan got a call from Todd and Loftur's teacher this evening, informing us that Loftur had hit Todd because Todd apparently told another kid, Johnny, something that Loftur had asked him not to tell. Sounds like Todd told a secret he shouldn't have, right? Still no excuse for Loftur to slap him on the eye, but still something we should discuss with Todd, right? Guess again.
Turns out this is what had really happened:
Johnny, a second-grader, was reading to the class. The teacher slipped out of the classroom while he read, putting him "in charge" of the class. Now, courtesy, common sense and rules dictate that other students do not talk while someone is reading. So what do you suppose happened while Johnny read aloud? Why, the same thing that always happens everyday: Loftur turned and talked to Todd.
Todd, aware of the rules, piped up and told Johnny (who, remember, was "in charge") that Loftur had talked, upon which Johnny did what any teacher would've done: put a check mark next to Loftur's name on the board. This incensed Loftur so much that he slapped Todd in the face, and THAT's evidently when he told Todd that he shouldn't have told Johnny.
When their teacher returned, Todd told her Loftur had slapped him. She turned to Loftur and asked if that was true. He confirmed. She asked why. He replied with exactly what I stated above: that Todd had told Johnny something Loftur had asked him not to tell. In other words, the kid lied to make it sound like Todd did something wrong. (of course, even if that were true, that's still no excuse for slapping him)
So what does the teacher do? Rather than get Todd's side of it, or even ask Johnny what happened, she is satisfied with this version of things and sends Todd to the office to get some ice. And since anytime kids go anywhere outside of class, they are accompanied by a buddy, who do you suppose she sent out with Todd? Why, none other than his affirmed slapper-- Loftur!
So, let's see... she left a room full of 1st and 2nd graders alone at least twice. Strike one. Then she took in only one side of the story. Strike two. Then she pairs Todd and Loftur as they leave the classroom shortly after this incident. Strike three?
While I'm furious that Loftur basically lied to the teacher about what happened, and am thus concerned about the effects such habits/behaviors have on Todd, I'm even more incensed about how their teacher went about all this. It's really hard to have faith in and support (both financially and by word-of-mouth) a school where my son's teacher doesn't keep discipline in the class properly, and even leaves them alone (however brief that period may be). Sigh...
St. Patrick's Day Dinner
Another long drive to LA (or near LA) today!
Every year since Daddy's first year at UCSB, the Geeks have gotten together for a St. Patrick's Day dinner, hosted by Sara. This year, it was held at Jason and Sara's little guesthouse cabin in the hills of Topanga.
To our surprise, Todd had the most fun playing with their cat! He had tons of fun waving the "fishing" toy (which consists of some pieces of wood tied to the end of a long, hard wire) at the cat, watching with glee as the cat came up to bat at it. Good thing the cat was there to keep him amused for hours, since there were no other kids to play with.
Still... no cats for us. Daddy's allergies to them aside, I still maintain they are evil, plotting creatures. I petted the cats soft head only to be swiped at! Clearly, cats are to be left alone :-)
Every year since Daddy's first year at UCSB, the Geeks have gotten together for a St. Patrick's Day dinner, hosted by Sara. This year, it was held at Jason and Sara's little guesthouse cabin in the hills of Topanga.
To our surprise, Todd had the most fun playing with their cat! He had tons of fun waving the "fishing" toy (which consists of some pieces of wood tied to the end of a long, hard wire) at the cat, watching with glee as the cat came up to bat at it. Good thing the cat was there to keep him amused for hours, since there were no other kids to play with.
Still... no cats for us. Daddy's allergies to them aside, I still maintain they are evil, plotting creatures. I petted the cats soft head only to be swiped at! Clearly, cats are to be left alone :-)
Old friends, new friends
Drove down to Rowland Heights today to visit Daddy's old childhood friends, all of whom have children of their own now. Todd was right smack dab in the middle, age-wise. Two older girls aged 9 and 11, and little boys age 2 1/2 and younger. The oldest of those little boys arrived shortly after we visited his mom in Seattle. Todd enjoyed playing with the younger of the 2 girls, until she decided that he was too small to play on the rocking swing and wouldn't let him jump in it anymore. Miffed, Todd refused to play with her (not that I blame him much) and went inside.
We then got to see Grandma a few houses up, and visited with her and Grandpa Duaine for a little while. Todd got to meet their doggies, too! Doggies are always fun to visit! :-)
We then got to see Grandma a few houses up, and visited with her and Grandpa Duaine for a little while. Todd got to meet their doggies, too! Doggies are always fun to visit! :-)
