A Bike Ride Conversation

James and I went out for a bike ride together and talked about many different things.  While riding home he asked me, "Would you be surprised if you saw me on an episode of House Hunters?"  Finding the question odd , I asked him, "Are you talking about now or when you're older?"  He replied, "I guess when I'm older."  "Well," I said, "I think I would be surprised if I didn't know you were moving out."  He then said, "Would you be upset?" 
I replied, " I know you're all going to move out one day, but I think I'll be a little sad because I love having you home and I'll miss you."  Being the sensitive kid that he is, he looked at me with such sincerity and said, "Don't worry, everyone else will move out, but I'll stay with you forever."  Then, after thinking about it for a moment, he revised his statement by saying, "Well, Danny and Katie will move out.  I'll  stay with you and so will Daddy.  Daddy HAS to stay.  He's forced to." (5/28/11)

The Macho Man

James was happily singing "Macho, macho man, I'd like to be a macho man".  With a slight giggle, I asked him, "Are you a macho man?" He replied with great seriousness, "Oh, no, that's only on Thursdays." (10/08/10)

The Naming of the Sons

Danny asked me, "Since we're Irish, do I have to give my kids Irish names?" I said, "No, you can name your child any type of name you like."  He then said, "Well, we have Irish names and all of our cousins have Irish names."  I replied, "Daddy and I liked more traditional names and your cousins do have Irish names, but you don't have to stick with tradition or your heritage when naming your child."  He said, "Good, because I want to name my son Armand, and that's a Spanish name." With a chuckle I said, "Armand is a very good name.  I like it. "  He then continued, "I am going to have four sons and name the first one Edmund (his grandfather's name), the second one Armand, my third son will be Danny the second, and the fourth will be Thomas."  I said, "Well, it's nice that you're going to name your last son after Daddy."  Danny said, with a bit of surprise, "Oh yeah.  I was actually thinking of my friend Thomas, but that'll work too." (5/24/11)

An Answer for Everything

One morning Katie came downstairs dressed in her flowered shirt and multi colored plaid leggings ready for the day.  She has dressed herself since she was 3 and decided that the more colors and patterns she had on her clothes, the better they looked.   She said, "Good morning, Mommy! Do you like my outfit?"  I looked at her clashing shirt and pants and said, "Yes, you look beautiful." I then took a look at her knotty, crazy hair and knew I had a combing challenge ahead of me.  She doesn't like having her hair brushed on a good hair day, let alone when she has a case of severe bed-head.  I said to her, "Hey, Katie, how about after breakfast we put your hair in pigtails?"  She replied, "No thanks."  I said, "Well,  I still have to brush your hair. Wait here while I get the brush."  She stopped me and said, "Oh, you don't have to brush my hair today.  I'm wearing a rockstar outfit, and rockstars don't brush their hair." (5/17/11)

The Empty Promise

When nobody wanted to play a board game with Katie, she resorted to begging.  She asked, "Please play Candy Land with me. Pleeease! I promise I won't cheat this time".  (10/07/10)

The Cheater

Katie, James and I all took a bike ride and ended up at the park.  While there, James and Katie made up a game to play, and were getting along very well, until I heard Katie shout, "James stopped playing the game with me!"  Before I could ask him why, James yelled at the top of his lungs, "BECAUSE SHE CHEATED!!"  Well known for her unbridled cheating, it was not the first time I had to warn Katie that no one will want to play games with her if she cheats. 
Trying to mediate the dispute, I asked James that if Katie plays by the rules, would he please continue the game that they were playing so nicely before.  James, who is very forgiving, begrudgingly said, "Well, I guess so.  As long as she promises not to cheat again."  I asked Katie if she could manage to play without cheating and she looked at me and said, on the verge of tears, "But I LOVE cheating!!" (5/15/11)

A Little While

Katie and James were happily playing and were about to set out for the backyard when I told them to stay in the house because it was almost time to leave for school.   James begged, "Please! Please let us go outside!  It's part of the game!"  My resistance weakened by sibling harmony, I said, "Okay, but just for a little while."  James shouted, "Yay!  A little while!  That means we have a lot of time.  Whenever I ask when dinner's going to be ready and you say 'a little while', it takes a REALLY long time!" (5/11/11)

Leaving Wendy's

While Katie and I were leaving Wendy's, a good looking young guy held the door for  us.  We simultaneously said "Thank you" and he replied, "You got it, babe" to which Katie immediately turned to me and said, "I think he was talking to me". (3/15/11)

The TV

Danny, who is offended every evening by having to watch the non flat screen TV in the basement, told Tom that if he ever has the misfortune to live in his house, he would have to watch TV in his basement.  He then added, "It will NOT be a flat screen and it will only have basic cable."  I said with a smile, "Well, Daddy grew up watching a black and white TV in his basement with no cable and only 3 channels to watch."  And then Tom added, "Yeah, and I had to share it with my 6 brothers and sisters!"  Tom, thinking he had him beat, smiled at Danny.  Danny immediately retorted, "Well, this time you'd have to share the TV with MOM!"  Point, Game, Match: Danny. (5/4/11)

The Nickname

Katie asked me, "Which is my real name, Katie or Katherine?"  I explained that her official name was "Katherine", but her nickname, the name that everyone calls her, is "Katie".  She thought about it and said, "What is Danny's real name?"  I told her, "It's Daniel."  Seeing where she was going, I continued, "James doesn't really have a nickname, but we do call him 'Jamsie' sometimes".  She then asked, "Why doesn't James have a nickname?" 
"Not everyone has a nickname," I replied, "Some people are just called by their given names. I don't really have a nickname either."  After hearing that, she said, in a matter of fact tone, 
"Yes you do.  Your real name is 'Mommy' but your nickname is 'Nancy'." (5/3/11)