Boy Wonder | Evidently

Ok, so this blog has been mostly pictures for the past few weeks due to my schedule. However, I’m working on an update–I promise it will be up soon. In the meantime, take a look at my new 5th grader. Yes, we finished our year with a few days to spare. Whew!

And yes, those would be highlights you see in his hair.

Career Advice

May 23, 2006 | Boy Wonder

Boy Wonder: Hey, Mom? I think you should take up another career.

Me: Oh yeah? What’s that?

Boy Wonder: Well, you can listen to husbands and wives tell you what their issues are, you know, like when they argue and stuff? And YOU can give them advice on how to fix it or talk better to each other.

Great. Even the nine year old thinks I should be a therapist.

Proof

May 16, 2006 | Boy Wonder

He says he never sleeps. But I have proof to the contrary:

He was up early that day to see the sunrise and then crashed on the couch after the big event. We’ve learned to let sleeping boys lie. 🙂 Instead we bake scones and let them greet the morning blurry.

Despite his bedhead, he’s not so blurry as you might think. IZ snapped this photo–I’m still in my p.j.s sitting in the matching chair out of frame. As IZ turned the camera my direction to capture me being equally blurry, I snarked, “Uh, No. It’s too early for photos–and besides, I don’t exactly want proof that the girls don’t hang evenly!”

Not even missing a beat, Boy Wonder looks at me and says, “Well, you know Mom–if he were a Cave man, he’d find that attractive.”

Ahead of the Rain

May 5, 2006 | Boy Wonder, This Life

We keep telling him to use his powers for good. Tonight he did just that. On our way home we passed the Friday night protest on 8th and Commercial–and the voice from the backseat exclaims: “I’m going to make a ‘No War’ sign when I get home–can I put it on the lawn?”

“Sure, why not?” I say, slyly looking over at his father who was driving to gauge his reaction. In our family, we come in three flavors: Vanilla, Strawberry, and Super Chunk-Chocolate-Toffee Swirl-Marshmallow Creme Delight. That is to say: IZ likes his lawn clear of all statements (although he’s up for the Peace Pole!), I don’t mind tasteful lawn art or political statements, and Boy Wonder is all about the lawn gnomes. And whirligigs. And painted rocks. Basically, where the lawn is concerned, this kid channels his inner 80 year old.

“Yeah, the lawn is fine,” IZ replies.

“But you know, rain is coming tomorrow, it just might do you and your sign in,” I caution.

“Not if we stay ahead of the rain, Mom. Not if we stay ahead of the rain.”

Once home, he disappeared into his chill zone only to reappear 15 minutes later with his work. “I’ve been thinking, I’d really like to take this down and protest with the other people.”

“Really?”

“Um, yeah. Is that ok? Will you drive me?”

“Sure. . .”

So off we went.

His sign says: War Kills! Killing is the opposite of Freedom. Save the world from Devastation. I swear, I had NOTHING to do with this sign, or its use except for taping the stick on the back. The irony that he’s wearing last year’s trendy camo shirt from The Gap does not escape me. No, I was just the driver and the occasional sign holder when his arm got too tired to hold up his message to his corner of the world.

As we stood on the corner taking turns waving and holding his sign, we talked about the different things people were trying to convey. We talked about the meaning of democracy and how amazing it is that we live in a town where both sides of the issue are within spitting distance to protest each week, but no one actually spits! I asked questions and I listened–he told me his vision for the future. He smiled at people as they passed–he jumped for joy when they honked. We stood there, huddled against the growing cold of a storm approaching and I thought, “Well, this is one way to stay ahead of the rain.”

Finally, it was time to go. As the major protesters began to leave, he looked at one man, smiled and said, “Well, see you next week!”

The rain is on its way now and I’m glad for it.