security detail

Evan has had the same security blanket since he was less than a year old — a raggedy, baby-blue erstwhile comforter (most of its stuffing has fallen out) named "Meek." It's now too fragile to be laundered, and we have observed that the Meek is, indeed, inheriting the earth.

Different people use different dates to mark the start of summer — Memorial Day, the solstice, the last day of school. In our house, the first day of summer is the first day Evan asks us to put Meek in the freezer for a few minutes before he goes to bed.

promotion

At some point during the school year, the black magic-markered name on Evan's backpack changed from "EVAN" to "EVAN F.B.I."

just cuz

Check out the Czarnecki Family Blog for some sweet pics of Evan and Sage's new cousin, Zinabu Czarnecki (how's that for a handle?).

Queen Sage Approximately

Sage can now pedal a tricycle and put on her shoes all by herself. She puts them on the wrong feet 91 percent of the time. She will let you wash her hair, but only if you address her as "Princess Tinkerbell." She calls pelicans "skeletons" and granola bars "gorilla bars." She is three years and one month old — or, as she puts it, "three and a half."

hand jive

Yesterday Evan said, "Hey, look! My thumbs have an opinion." Then he put his thumbs together, moved them like a mouth, and said in a falsetto voice, "Yeah, I think so too."

keeping up with him

Today we took the ferry to Friday Harbor, and at one point the P.A. system informed us that there was "NO RUNNING ALLOWED on Washington State Ferries" -- an announcement whose intended audience was clearly Evan and Sage. Later, Evan and I had the following exchange:

Eric: "Evan, no running on the ferry!"

Evan (bounding by): "I'm not running. I'm moon-walking."

Eric: "No moon-walking on the ferry."

Evan: "Why not?"

Eric: "Because I said so."

Evan: "Well, you're not the ferry guy."

Eric: "Yes I am. I'm the Ferry Godfather."

Evan: "No, Harry's godfather is Sirius Black."

the difference between a daddy and a brother

Sage: "Daddy, I drew a house!"

Eric: "That's so good, Sage!"

Evan: "Looks like scribbles to me."

Eric: "It's very realistic, Sage. See, here's the roof, and these are windows. It's a wonderful house, Sage."

Evan: "To a person with a really good imagination."

Sage: "Am I a good drawer, Daddy?"

Eric: "Yes, you're a very good drawer, Sage."

Evan: "Getting there, I'd say."

the rhubarbarian

that's my boy

School

By: Evan McHenry

School you make my eyeBrows Sag
because I Have to Do Whorck

cavity creeps

Eric: "Evan, brush your teeth."

Evan (whining): "Why do you have to brush your teeth?"

Eric: "Because they'll rot and fall out if you don't."

Evan: "There should just be a vaccination."