he has a point

Tonight Evan was trying to convince us that we should let him play with a pocket knife, on the grounds that "I'm a boy, so I'm crazy and active and used to getting hurt."

final thoughts

Tonight, after I finished reading Evan the first two chapters of Beverly Cleary's "The Mouse and the Motorcycle"...

Eric: "Goodnight Evan."

Evan: "What if that boy is sick? Will Ralph the Mouse get sick from eating the boy's apple core?"

Eric: "I don't think mice get many people diseases. Otherwise they couldn't eat so many people leftovers. Okay, goodnight Evan."

Evan: "Will mice eat anything?"

Eric: "Well, I think they'll eat just about anything, yeah. Goodnight Evan."

Evan: "What about paper?"

Eric: "Well, not paper. But I think they'll eat just about anything that's food. Goodnight Evan."

Evan: "What about seaweed?"

Eric: "Goodnight Evan."

acid test

Tonight I was singing the old Schoolhouse Rock song "Three Is a Magic Number," and Evan pointed out that three is not, in fact, magic, because "it can't turn you into a roly-poly or something."

What kind of name is that?

Evan (pointing to the cheese grater): "Is that your cheese-alizer?"

Sonja: "Um... sure."

Evan: "Why's it called a cheese-alizer?"

bait and switch

Sage (at about 4:30 a.m.): "BWAAAAHHHHH!!! DAAAADDDDDY!!! DAAAADDDDDY!!! DADDYDADDYDADDYDADDYDADDY!!!!!"

Eric (stumbling up the stairs): "What?! What is it, honey? What's the matter?"

Sage: "Hi Daddy."

Evan: Recent Works

Fire Engine: Legos, 2008



Elephant: Legos, 2008

(Okay, I made the elephant, but I was so proud of it I had to put it on the blog.)

kids change so fast

Those of you who like to keep up on recent developments in Evan's life will be interested — as we were — to learn that his name is now Jake Jarabee Williams. And he's 10.

giant smiles

Thanks to Aunt Roslyn for these photos, from my grandparents' 65th wedding anniversary party. 1.) Evan mugging with his most excellent second cousin once-removed, Benjamin. 2.) Daddy tickling Evan in order to force a smile that doesn't look forced. 3.) Happy Sage and Grandma Sue.

elves

I thought the Topeka, Illinois and Oregon folks would get a kick out of these Christmas Eve photos. We had a wonderful time at Aunt Julie and Uncle Steve's. Evan got the headset he'd been asking for practically since last Christmas, and Sage got a cute little purse that looks like a pig, which Julie and Lauren brought back from China. The last shot is from just after the holidays, and captures pretty well how we all felt. (By the way, it was Evan's suggestion that he wear a tie on Christmas Eve.)

fweep

This morning it was my turn to sleep in — Sonja was up with the kids. At around 8, Sage opened the door to our bedroom, and the following exchange took place:

Sage: "Hi Daddy. Fiw fweeping?"

Eric: "Yeah honey, I'm still sleeping."

Sage: "Okay. I coze."

And then she closed the door. This seemed like a breakthrough — not because Sage was taking part in a complex conversation but because she was being courteous. (Most Saturday mornings begin with her bouncing on top of me and shouting "Daddy UP! Daddy UP!")

primary colors

Sage: "Obaba! Obaba! Obaba!"

Evan: "She likes Barack Obama. That's my girl."

roundup of recent Evanisms

"I've noticed something about Sage. She's gotten kind of fat."

***

Eric: "What do you want for dinner?"

Evan: "Candy."

***

Evan: "I didn't know ducks could fly."

Eric: "Oh yeah. Ducks can fly."

Evan: "They're lucky they don't have to go through security."

like is in the air

Evan: "I think I'm ready to get married."

Eric: "Oh. Who are you ready to marry?"

Evan: "I don't know. Maybe Josephine."

Eric: "Is she still your girlfriend?"

Evan: "Yeah. She doesn't say she's my girlfriend, but..."

Eric: "She's a girl, and she's your friend."

Evan: "Yeah. Girl and friend."

Eric: "Right."

Evan: "And she likes me. She said she was going to marry me or Thomas."

Tonight at Chuck E. Cheese

Evan: "What a weird restaurant."

Evan made up this joke

Q: Why do baseball players sweat after games?

A: Because all the fans are gone.