Apr 10 2007
It Was Worth the PTO (Part 1)
Easter thrust itself upon our family and refused to let go for five straight days.
Normally a tame affair consisting of a whirlwind weekend trip to my parents’ house, this year was different. The tradition for our entire marriage, and many years prior to that for me, was two days of egg dying, catching up since Christmas, and attending my boyhood church. One out of three ain’t bad, I suppose.
This year, in an effort to upstage the ubiquitous Easter Bunny, the Easter Fairy made an appearance. Complete with tiny wings and a pink tutu, it was fitting that in its inaugural year it was played by one of the newest members of the family.
Would that it weren’t my son. (click pics to enlarge)
First, a little back story.
Tipping the balance this year was the scheduled baptism of a baby on my wife’s side. Apparently this kind of thing is an Easter Day tradition in some churches. I was oblivious because I grew up in one that didn’t know Easter or Christmas from any other day of the year. Oh, and they didn’t baptize babies. That, too, would be a first for me.
Shannon was sick enough that traveling and spreading her microscopic flora and/or fauna seemed like a bad idea. We didn’t want to turn it into a Diseaster.
Dinos, Aunt J, and Ninjas
On Wednesday afternoon, Ben and I took off in the minivan, wherein he slept for the first hour and a half and didn’t need toys until about the 5-hour mark. Two of his dinosaurs, voiced by Ben, discussed their likes and dislikes and then tussled a bit as we reached Little Rock.
“Do you like red M&M’s?” asked T-rex.
“Yes, they’re my favorite,” replied Triceratops.
You know, the kind of things you’d expect dinosaurs to contemplate. It was perhaps guided by Ben’s previous enjoyment of a pack of peanut M&M’s.
Ben called this M&M package his necklace.
Does this seem bizarre to anyone else?
We enjoyed a delightful evening with my aunt J, who played with Ben and fed us Parmesan Garlic Cheezits. I indulged and sandwiched them around a coil of squirtable Cheezit cheddar (think Easy Cheese). It’s good to be on the road, where nutritional rules don’t apply. Ben enthusiastically switched to Spongebob Squarepants Cheezits, even though as far as I know he’s never watched one minute of that show.
The highlight for Ben, besides his great auntie, were the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle action figures. Aunt J has two grandsons who have left a plethora of toys at her house.
After she left for work the next morning, Ben looked at me with his face screwed up in confusion. “Ladies have to go to work?”
“Yes, Ben, a lot of ladies have to go to work.”
(Next up: A stressful visit to a very old man who deserved better.)
Sounds like Ben had plenty to do… what about Dad?
My how Ben had grown since I’ve began to read your blog Mark….
Dave - I had a great time, too. Aunt J and I talked about important issues of the day, like how ridiculous American Idol is and always will be as long as each caller is allowed unlimited and free voting. For the most part, though, I played with and managed Ben.
Blah, I’m barely coherent enough to make a reply. But when has that ever stopped me?
What is bizarre about the Sherwin Williams truck picture? The fact that the Earth is being covered with red paint? I don’t know…
No, Alvis, what’s bizarre about that paint picture is that Mark probably took it while driving, Ben oblivious in the back seat to the mortal peril in which his father selfishly placed him.
I betcha that T-rex was just lulling the Triceratops into a sense of complacency with that M&M question. The rex was totally about to gut the plant-eater I bet. Ben just kept that part of the conversation in his head.
(Waiting to find out about “PTO” too.)
So much goodness in this post.
Diseaster…awesome!
The Sherwin-Williams logo has always struck me as odd. Paint is a rather environmentally unfriendly industry as I understand it. I’d think that companies would be trying to prove themselves eco-conscious. But no…Sherwin-Williams just wants you to know that they produce enough paint to coat the entire ecosphere, flooding the oceans and killing everything in a tidal wave of beautiful and colorful death. It’s an impressive corporate mission statement, really.
But Simon does make a good point. How did you take that picture, Mark.
Si - PTO = Paid Time Off.
I liked diseaster, too, honey. Good one.
I can guarantee you guys he took that picture while driving. All I have to say is it’s a good thing I wasn’t there! (or there would be no picture) That’s my man - always livin’ on the edge.
You didn’t tell me about Ben being confused that ladies go to work - how funny! I guess that makes sense, though, since the ladies he spends most of his time with (me, my mom, my other sahm friends) don’t “go to work” (but we do work, I guarantee you that!).
I’m sorry I missed all of the fun festivities with your family, babe. Thanks for taking care of the kid and giving me some time to get better.
The SWP cover the earth logo reminds me of my Dad’s bar, which was located right next to the local hardware store. They had a SW sign that covered the entire side of the building.
Back then when everyone poured their leftover paint down the sewer drain it probably didn’t seem too unusual. Now, I’m surprised someone hasn’t done something to get them to stop using it because of its possible negative influence.
The kids no longer watch Spongebob, but Dad loves it. Best cartoon in many, many years. I laugh until my stomach hurts at Patrick Star. (voiced by Bill Fagerbakke, Tom Cullen in the movie version of “The Stand”.)
Simon - Looks like everybody beat me to the answers.
On the dinosaurs, though… Ben’s dinosaurs sometimes are mean, sometimes nice. He usually starts out by declaring them one or the other. He says, “I’m a mean dinosuar,” in a growl, or “I’m a nice dinosaur,” with a high-pitched, gentle tone.
Alvis and Moksha - Yes, the covering of the world with paint seems like a sign an environmental group would use, not a company trying to sell more paint. Just weird. MG, your description of it was perfect.
Moksha - Glad you caught and appreciated that word.
Wife - Oh, there would have been a picture, because you would have sweetly agreed to take it for me.
Don’t worry ’bout the trip. The boy and I got by just fine, although he indicated more than once that he missed Mommy and Cassie (but not Mama Cass, which is completely different). So did I, but for different reasons.
BK - That’s funny (about the bar and Spongebob).
Markus, I thought the highlight of the trip was dinner Friday night when Ben and LC were chanting “Go Diego Go” in perfect unison, and plenty loud enough that I’m sure most people heard it. I’m sure we never did anything like that when we were kids. :-)
Obviously, I wish we could have gotten to see you guys longer, but at least a little visit was better than none at all. We did the 6 hour drive from St. Louis for almost 4 years on every Holiday, and a few more for other things. It almost makes time off seem like work.
Charles - I just haven’t got to that part yet. Thanks for the reminder, though. That was a great moment.
Long drives suck. But, hey, they’re better than not seeing anybody at all.
I have seen that strange logo and on-truck ad for Sherwin-Williams. Why use such a silly environmental unfriendly ad to sell paint? As they say “Ask Sherwin-Williams.”
There are other things that are much more odd that that logo.
Okay so I’m older than most of you but that Sherwin Williams thing was around when I was a kid. I remember how my granddad could pick up two chickens, one in each hand, and wring their necks simultaneously. The resulting rapid sanguinary event produced a pair of foul racing around the yard headless, giving much the same picture. This picture was much too good not to share!
Papa
John - Examples?
Papa - That’s funny that the slogan was around when you were a kid.
I’m willing to bet that you’re the only one reading my blog who’s seen someone do that with chickens.