Thursday, January 27, 2011

PTO Day Brain-dump

The boys are gone to my parents' house on a PTO day, which should mean that I can string a few coherent thoughts together, but that may be reaching on my part.  A PTO day is a rare chance for me to work on projects I enjoy (like quilting), to clean and tidy without my work being instantly undone, or to talk with other adults.  Because it's always refreshing to have a whole conversation that does not consist of sentences punctuated with forceful adverbs.  Stop that right now.  Finish your work immediately.  Apologize nicely. 

What I mostly do is just enjoy the quiet, a rare commodity on most days.  If you don't know them in real life, well...  the boys are what you might graciously call lively.   In actual fact, taken together they're really more of a force of nature than just regular people.

All it takes for chaos to descend is a few unsupervised moments with a Mad-Libs book.  Those sunny-faced, denim-jumpered homeschool moms who champion the educational value of these books (nouns! verbs! adverbs! adjectives!) clearly underestimate the potential here for my boys.  Oh, their vocabulary is enhanced, all right.  They can describe bodily functions the way Eskimos can describe snow.

Why, why, why is that such a central part of life for boys?

When they're being really polite at least they'll warn you.  I was in the mudroom with Gunnar this morning, getting ready to take them to Grampa and Gramma's house.  He looked at me with concern.  Mama, you should hurry.  I tooted.  No kidding.

They'll be back soon, full to bursting with all the fun they've had, and you know what the first thing they'll say is?

When's dinner?

5 comments:

leah said...

Boys and body functions: it starts early! I have two boys who discuss these things in great detail, with sound effects. And giggles.

I was sort of hoping they would outgrow it. Sigh....

Jena Webber said...

no kidding. PTO day. That's a good idea. I think you are a hero for even attempting hsing with a crew of boys. saint, I tell you. Saint. You are a saint.

Joey Lynn Resciniti said...

I always appreciate a warning like that! I'd rather know to move on than to find out on my own.

The dB family said...

Spoken like true children! Hope you enjoyed your peace and quiet today.

Blessings!
Deborah

sara said...

Being the mom of 3 boys myself, and a few years behind you, I am so encouraged reading here. When my three-year-old gets mad he says, "You bad stinker! I'm gonna poop on your head!" *sigh*

I'll only admit it to you, but I think they get their potty humor from me. I can occasionally be heard asking in my most innocent subtle blame-shifting voice, "Was that YOU?"