Complexity

Zach's teacher told me about this exchange, which happened on the first day of first grade.

Zach: Is learning to read a very complex process?

Teacher: ...probably not for you...

Food Family

Zach: I feel like you and Daddy are supposed to be married.

Betsy: Me, too, but why do you think so?

Zach: It's kind of like you are the butter and Daddy is the bread.

(Pause.)

And let's say that bread and butter and salt and pepper all go together. It's like you're the butter, Daddy's the bread, I'm the salt, and Katie's the pepper.

Transitions, sort of

Zach: I'm a kid who was a Star Wars fan, and turned into a peace fan.

And by the way, I'm still a Star Wars fan.

Get Up and Run Around

Grandpa's not old, but he's past that getting up and running around thing. Every time we play Wii, I beat him. Even on the games I'm not good at.

Favorite Parts

Upon waking up this morning.

Zach: Mom, this is one of my favorite parts of my life. You know why? I love it when it's just my family at home and we're all doing something fun.

Those crazy teenagers

Pre-bus talk....

Zach: I don't understand teenagers. They just get right on the bus. They don't look back, don't get a hug, nothing.

Betsy: That's right. You'll never be like that.

Copping 'Tude

While waiting for the bus....

Betsy: I couldn't believe how much work Mrs. Smith showed us at your conference! Kindergarten is a lot of work! You must be so busy every single day.

Zach: Which is WHY I should be treated RIGHT when I get home.

I'm not HAPPY that I'm not allowed to refuse to take out the compost.

Terrible

Zach: Can I play PBSkids.org?

Betsy: No.

Zach: Mom, now you sound like YOU have the terrible two's.

Betsy: Huh?

Zach: You're always saying 'No'.

Beautiful

Betsy, to Katie, who's been musing about lipstick:

Betsy: Little girls are all too beautiful to wear lipstick.

Zach: Well, so are you, Mom.

Betsy: Well, that's good, because I'm not wearing any.

Zach: Yeah, because if you were wearing lipstick with that outfit, you'd look ridiculous. If you dress up fancy, then you look beautiful with lipstick.

Long Distance

No, Katie, Grandma and Grandpa are not coming here.

But there is a beautiful thing in America called telephones.

PLEASE, Don't make me go sledding

Mama, let me just tell you something. And this is real life. I've had enough of winter.

It's an obsession

Zach is becoming a fanatic Star Wars aficionado without ever having seen the movie. (Thank you, corporate marketing, aimed at my innocent 6-year-old. Thank you, George Lucas, for opening that ginormous toy store that makes movies on the side.) Charlie finally broke and bought the DVD of the original, on sale. And there are plans in the works for a Daddy and Me viewing, WHEN the time is right (e.g., when Katie is otherwise occupied, not close to bedtime, and when the calendar is clear). Zach is feeling pretty impatient about the "right time" concept, and Charlie has recently introduced him to the word "obsessed." Here's what I heard last night, grumbled, after Charlie was out of earshot...

Zach: No, YOU'RE obsessed. You're obsessed with "NO".

Learning

Brown noser. He totally knows what I want to hear.

Betsy: What did you learn at school today?

Zach: I told you. I never learn anything. I just play. And THAT is learning.

I'm not gonna write you a love song...

While listening to Fire and Rain by James Taylor:

Zach: What is this song about?

Betsy: I guess it's about...I don't know...a guy who's kind of going through a hard time.

Zach: Good.

Betsy: That's good?

Zach: Yeah. It's not one of those songs about a girl I want to marry, a girl I love. I HATE those.

Betsy: Why?

Zach: It's like the music sounds like they're trying to say I hate you. I just love this girl. I love the girl, I hate you. And they don't just hate me. They hate everybody, except that girl.

Wake up call

Zach is switching from pm to am kindergarten tomorrow, which means a big change in our morning routine. I told him that if he's not up by 7:30 am, we would wake him up to get ready for school.

Zach: Well, I want mom to wake me up. Because Katie will wake me up UNPLEASANT and Daddy will probably tickle me.

Sweet Dreams

Last night, I dreamed that Harry Potter came over, and he brought us a new kitchen, a dog, and a Landrover!