Thursday, February 23, 2012

Parenting


He's a real piece of work. That's what my father says about Oliver, and I've always loved that expression. Tonight, while I was making dinner (tacos) and admiring Henry's pamphlet about medieval Japan, I mentioned how terrific I thought both boys' projects always were, how they worked on them without my help. I reminded Oliver of his Indian one from earlier in the year, and he cut me off in disdain and said It's Native American, Mom, not Indian. Indians are from India. He sighed and might have rolled his eyes. In my mind I cursed his political correctness but said, Oh, yeah, that's right. A little while later I turned patiently toward him when he stated, I think I'm going to start making and collecting



bird



houses. (I had to write it like that because it was just so weird and apropos of nothing).


In my mind I thought of so many clever things to say that weren't very nice, but instead I nodded and said, Sounds interesting.

12 comments:

  1. My father use to say that all the time too! And in my house, passed down form the generation before, it is a go to favorite.I am just waiting for it to flow freely from Charlotte's mouth one of these days!

    Love that Oliver. I really do.

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  2. I love birds. And all of your Oliver stories.

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  3. Perhaps he could have a side business, selling bird houses on Etsy.
    Bless that boy. He IS a piece of work.

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  4. Would it be weird if I told you I adore your children? Of all the things for a boy to pick up... And Henry, yesterday, at the DDS, game in hand. You've some nice kids there.

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  5. That Oliver, he's a renaissance man, isn't he?

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  6. I believe that Oliver is my favorite sort of person.

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  7. Yes he is. You are too.

    And you're both spectacular.

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  8. Oliver just blows me away. He really is a piece of work. She's just so creative and thoughtful and filled with ideas. Clearly, his mother's son! Jude? Not so much. It's like pulling teeth to get him working on his Cub Scout projects. Not a crafty dude.

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  9. He IS a renaissance man ...

    And up here in PC country it's First Nation Peoples (because it wasn't America yet)

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