That's My Boy...

I can't claim any credit for any of the events of this story, but since it makes my kid look a lot better than the fact that he knows all the words to "We Go Together," I feel the need to share.

Yesterday, after much travail, the YP opted out of swimming after tae kwon do and asked if we could go hiking. I opted out of hiking and stayed home to clean the house. So Not Your Average Blogger took the kid to the Manassas battlefield which is between our house and the dojo.

"And your little boy freaked out a load of tourists," NYAB tells me.
"Why? Did he climb on a cannon and do a striptease?"
"No, no. We were at the big statue of Jackson, right, and he is standing there looking at the letters, going 'Juh-aaaah-kk-kk-ssss-uhhh-nnnn...Jack-k-ison?' And I say, 'Jackson.' And he goes, 'Oh! Like Washington-Adams-Jefferson-Madison-Monroe-Johnquincyadams-Jackson?'"
I start laughing.
"And the people around us, well, their jaws just dropped. It was great."
"So what did you say to the kid?"
"Well, I said it was a different Jackson, but I don't think he cared."

Personally, I'm surprised he didn't sing about getting married in a fever. For now, though, "Jackson" is "a guy who rode a horse while he was a statue." Close enough.

For my part, cleaning was probably a futile maneuver. Oh, sure, the floors look nicer and there is more room in the fridge and the ironing is all done, but thanks to Nabbalicious' comment a few days back, I'm now convinced we have bedbugs. I started reading up on the internets and have discovered that thanks to Rachel Carson and the outlawing of DDT, bedbugs are making a comeback, and how. What does this mean for me? Well,here is what I have learned:
* One spouse can be eaten alive while the other spouse is oblivious to anything unusual.
* Usually both spouses will be bitten.
* You will see bugs -- and telltale signs of bugs -- instantly.
* You can be bitten for months without ever seeing a sign of a bug.
* You MUST burn or at least throw away any infested furniture.
* You can keep your furniture if you get it treated.
* Bedbugs tend to infest high-occupancy buildings and places with clutter.
* Bedbugs are attracted by heat and carbon dioxide, cleanliness is no deterrent, and single-family homes are at risk.
* Exterminators cost thousands of dollars and must make costly followup visits.
* Exterminators are reasonably priced but should have some experience with the critter in question.

All very helpful, no? I suppose I will call and make inquiries on Monday.

Comments

[mineIsay]

Again, it is so wonderfully refreshing to see happy posts about kids. I mean, I haven't run into ihatekids.blogspot.com, but i see so many parents behaving in a way that makes me believe they really can't see the beauty in their brood.

Reading your stuff makes me look forward to having some ofmy own.

[nabbalicious]

Well, I'm not surprised because YP is a freakin' genius. That's hilarious, though.

Gosh, I'm glad the internets sorted out the potential bedbug problem. Grrr.

[average blogger]

Mine: Thank you so much! That's about the nicest thing you could ever say to someone who writes stuff down for her blog and then instantly defaults to, "Oh, that child is going to HATE me for this when he is 10...20...50..." But yeah, having a kid has definitely been worth the price of admission. At least, so far! :D

Nabbs: Internets were actually rather helpful. Unlike the first Actual Human that I talked to about it, but that's a post for later in the week!