"I'm a gentleman"

We were sitting at dinner at a local restaurant and got flavored water to drink.  He grabbed my glass and the water and said, as though to himself, "I'm a gentleman and I pour for ladies."  Where it came from, I have no idea.  My boy was chivalrous.  Awesome!

Uma has it

Aidan has a love for music.  He sings all the time and has taken to whistling lately, which I enjoy immensely.  I mean, unhappy children don't burst into song (he's not singing, "Swing Low, Sweet Chariot" or anything), so I take it as a good sign.  This morning I dropped him off at kgarten, and I saw him strolling down the sidewalk, carrying his backpack, whistling.  Cool.

All this to say that he knows quite a bit of pop music.  We listen to it in the car a lot (he knows his favorite stations by call number and will request them).  I should say, he "knows" quite a bit of pop music. 

He loves Adele.  We've had a running discussion about her song, Rumor Has It.  He loves the song, but insists it's Uma Has It, even before he knew that Uma was a name.  I've asked what on earth that means, but it doesn't matter.  He's convinced.  The song comes on, and he'll say, "Mommy, speak it up so you can hear it's Uma."  It's be on another day, and he'll say something like, "See-some people think it's Rumor, but Phillip [his buddy] and I know it's Uma."  Another time, even that Phillip's (older) brother had told them it's Rumor, but he and Phillip talked, and they decided it's definitely Uma.  They will not be swayed.  It's been months - several months - he is certain.  How great is that sort of determination?  I'm hoping this means that he won't fall to peer pressure as he grows.

In fact, that's a reasonable hope, as I think about it.  My brother had a similar trait and did not fall, decidedly, to peer pressure.  Still doesn't.  (My brother's extra cool.)  Being 7 years older than my bro ("LB"), here are some of the hits from his youth as he insisted on singing them:

• For Joan Jett's "I love rock and roll," the line following being consistent, but unintelligible, syllables.  No amount of "so put another dime in the jukebox, Baby" would convince him.  In fact, he'd get angry with me for the suggestion.  Strangely, Aidan shares that one with LB.  Also adores the song, also sings consistent but unintelligible lyrics for those lines.  Awesome.
• In "California Dreamin'", 2nd verse that is "Stopped into a church I passed along the way," he had "Stuck down in a church" - which explained why the guy would get down on his knees and begin to pray (the next line) - I mean, you're stuck.  Of course you pray.  Even better, the following line:  "You know the preacher likes to call; he knows I'm gonna stay."  Um, yeah you're gonna stay--you're stuck!  (I love that one)
• INXS Need you tonight, Actual lyrics:  "Your moves are so raw, I've got to let you know - you're one of my kind."  LB's lyrics:  "Your knees are so raw, I've got to let you know - you're one of my kind."  I never wanted to know the details of why this gentleman might be seeking out a lady with raw knees.  I never asked (though I did get bad mental pictures).

Ninjas

We found this awesome children's album called "Snacktime" by Barenaked Ladies at the library.  I highly recommend.  It has such wonders as "7-8-9" (seven ate nine) and "Eraser," an actual ode to the wonders of an eraser.  Aidan and I both love it - we'll be purchasing.

Anyway, there's a song on there about ninjas.  The dude wakes up and he can tell the ninjas have been in his home - things are moved, etc.  The chorus is, "The ninjas are deadly and silent; they're also unspeakably violent.  They speak Japanese, they do whatever they please, and when you pull of their masks, they'll be smilin'."  We've sung it a bunch of times in the last week or two.

Last night, on the way home from soccer, Aidan got to thinking.  It's not always easy to keep a straight face; sometimes harder than others.  Especially when he's dead serious.  His narrative went something like this....

"They got the song all wrong.  This guy doesn't know anything about ninjas.  First of all, ninjas don't move things - you'd never know they'd been there.  I know.  I'm a real ninja--and am I speaking Japanese right now?  No!"

"Those who hear not the music think the dancers mad."

My beautiful friend Carrie sent me a card with that quote, and I love it.  (She asked me to be in her wedding in that card, and I love that too, but that's not the point here.)

Aidan very much reminds me of that.  He marches to the beat of his own drummer.  I told him I wanted to take a picture of him with his backpack for the first day of school, and this was the closest to a portrait I could get.  He wanted fighting pictures (Bey Blades "Blay Blayers").  He wanted to see the pictures after I took them, and he loves them.  It's smack-on Aidan.

His teacher sent home a form to send out to tell our hopes and concerns about our kids.  I have lots of both, but my biggest hope/concerns is that he's so beautifully unfiltered - so happy and confident in himself, not knowing or caring what is cool.  I hope that the other or big kids don't beat that out of him; I want him to stay so gloriously dorky, so himself - so honestly cool.

what's new?

I'm wondering how many days he'll get out of the car when I drop him off for school and yell, "Bye, Mommy!  I love you!  Have a great day!"  I could eat him.

I adore this stage where he's sounding things out and so proud of doing it by himself.  This is the text from a birthday card Aidan wrote for Lou Marino, our neighbor, on his 85th birthday on Saturday (Lou was pretty happy to get it!).
HAPE BRF
DA
TU
LU

Again, I could eat him!

and so it begins for the next generation

Audrey, my niece, who's 2 and a half, had a great one the other day.

My sister insists that she doesn't deserve it (clearly she did), when Audrey popped out with, "Mommy, you not being nice....Lord help you!"  I hope she's writing some of these down too.

little man

My gorgeous sweetheart love angel,

I am clear.  I know that your growing up is part of this deal.  I remember feeling like others might not understand when I was little.  You are growing up.  You should.  You must.  I want you to.

I try my best, but I'm not good at it, not to long for the you who's gone while the you who's here is right here for me to appreciate and snuggle.  It's hard.  You're my only you, and honestly, you're spectacular.

You are bright, inventive, curious, involved, funny, loving, appreciative, thoughtful--as well as I know you, you constantly surprise me.  You take the right things seriously and have fun as much as possible; we could all learn a thing or two from that approach. 

As you know, I find you completely irresistible.  I'm also terrible at not showering you with affection; I'm working on it, I promise.  As you're inevitably growing up, I feel the window for such showering closing.  I believe there will be a day when you might not want to be seen with me, when I'll embarrass you (you know, when I'm doing it unintentionally).  It's possible to miss this you who's with me right now as I see the you who will be creeping in, which drives me to drink in every moment I can. 

Yes, I know that I'm nuts, and as much as you do, I also wish that I could turn all this off inside my head and just be as you do.  I can't.  I do, however, love you silly.  Always will; every bit of you.

All this to wish you well as you start kindergarten next week, a new adventure.  Fly, my little man, fly.  You are beautiful.