Friday, August 13, 2010

Mr. Sensitive

My new motto for Ben: THIS IS NOT SOMETHING TO CRY OVER.

Examples falling in this category:

Shirt is inside out.
Can't find other shoe.
Adam is in the same room.
Told to go sit on the toilet.
Underwear doesn't magically appear in the bathroom when needed.
Underwear is inside out.
Dad is ready to leave before you are. (No, he will NOT leave without you. Yes, you should have gone potty 5 minutes ago when I first told you!)
Leah is not playing Little People with you.
Have to finish dinner.
Have to finish a carrot before being done with dinner.
Have to finish the meat before having seconds of noodles.
Food dropping on the floor.
Mud on your legs.
A fly is in the van.


I'm really trying not to use the phrase I heard a lot growing up (not necessarily said to me!): "Stop crying or I'll give you something to cry about!"

But it's hard, friends.

12 comments:

Terri said...

Wow you heard that phrase too. Hmmm no wonder we are related.

JJ and EJ said...

Oh Mr. Sensitive Ben-o... can't wait to see you as a big tough sports guy later in life. : ) Then we'll all have this blog as dirt to refer to! : ) hehe

Love,
Auntie EJ

Lyz said...

This post will be the LEAST of his worries when his big sports friends find out his mom has a blog...

JJ and EJ said...

I know... I'm talkin' bout the whole blog! ; )

Noel said...

Is the following under consideration for the list?

Brett Favre decides to really retire

KT said...

You were told that, too???

Noel said...

Well at least we dodged a bullet with crying over Favre's retirement this year. But now is there something about a garish barn-red pergola to shed some tears over?

Noel said...

So the rumor is that while the pork medallions were on the grill, they started smoking. An alert neighbor called the fire department, who was engaged in some painting at the fire station at the time, to come put out the fire. They didn't have time to put the paint away, so it ended up coming on the truck. When they arrived, they saw it was just a grill and not a fire, but offered to stay and help paint. So that's why the pergola is fire-engine red (not barn red as previously rumored).

Noel said...

The firefighters got done with the painting near the end of their shift. One of the firefighters lived nearby and didn't want to go all the way back to the station before heading home. However, he was the essential steerer on the back of the hook and ladder truck.

"No problem!" was heard as the Handy Husband put on the firefighters boots and coat before boosting Ben on his shoulders. Once Ben was in place, the Handy Husband put the firefighter hat on Ben's head and climbed up to take his position at the wheel at the back of the hook and ladder truck.

Ben squealed with delight as the truck rolled down Main Street towards the fire station. As they were about to turn onto 8th Street, the Handy Husband noticed some smoke off the the east just as he heard a message over his headset: "Boys, we've got a fire to fight!"

Noel said...

"Hang on to your hat!" the Handy Husband shouted up to Ben as the fire engine's siren came on. The hook-and-ladder picked up speed as it continued on Main Street, over the river bridge, and into Sugartown. It slowed a moment to turn left and then continued on at high speed. The Handy Husband had to work quickly and accurately as he steered the end of the ladder through the turn.


In a couple of minutes, the hook and ladder joined several other fire trucks at a wind tower just north of town. Ben pulled his father's head back with one hand and pointed towards the top of the tower with the other. He shouted one word as he pointed. The Handy Husband replied "We'll have to work fast if we are going to save a life!"

Noel said...

The skillful hands of the Handy Husband moved from the steering wheel at the back of the hook-and-ladder truck to the controls which he used to simultaneously rotate and extend the ladder.

"Hold on tight, Ben!" was the cry as the Handy Husband began his rapid ascent. His many years of ladder work while painting had prepared him for this moment.


At the top, Ben began to bounce on his dad's shoulders. "More! More!" he shouted. But they were on the highest rung of the ladder and it wasn't quite high enough. Time was running out.

Noel said...

Lyz was carrying a basket of laundry down the hall as Baby Adam toddled out of the TV room. The speed of his steps were matched only by their uncertainty. He had a big grin on his face as he pointed back into the room and said "Dad-dy, Ben-ny".

"Are they home now?" Lyz replied, simultaneously thinking "They are long overdue."

Leah skipped out into the hall and asked "Can we keep the kitty?"

Lyz's puzzlement only grew as she came into view of the TV through the doorway. On the screen, Ben was holding an upside-down fireman's hat above his head. A small grey kitten jumped from something metalic into the hat.

The camera begn to zoom out showing Ben's ankles being firmly grasped by the Handy Husband and Ben's feet planted on the Handy Husband's shoulders. She had seen that enough times around the house as the two had played.

Lyz's jaw and the laundry basket both dropped as the camera zoomed out even further, revealing them at the end of an extended ladder which reached from a fire truck to the top of a wind tower. The Handy Husband and Ben were just dots on the screen as Lyz saw a stream of water shooting 200 feet upward from another fire truck to the smoking generator.

The TV program swithced from the replay to live coverage. The Handy Husband had his signature smile while holding Ben who was holding the kitty and wearing the fireman's hat. Sugartown's Mayor Topham stood next to them, speaking in a pontificating voice "...and so, in recognition of your extreme bravery in rescuing a helpless kitten from the top of a smoking wind tower, I present you these medals." Clapping and cheering was heard in the background.

Knocking on the door drew Lyz away from the live coverage of the fire. When she opened the door, she was almosted blinded by the lights on the video cameras and startled by the microphones thrust in her face. "Are you the wife of the Handy Husband and the Brave Boy?". A second voice followed with "Can you tell us what its like to live with them?"

Never at a loss for words, Lyz took a breath and started "Let me tell you about this trip west we just took..."

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