Dad Entry #60

Michael and I were at the Lego store. Just to look. Most of the boxes and sets there are big and expensive. So when he picked up a little box with only one Lego guy in it (a Lego Atlantis Manta Ray Warrior if you must know), I said, "That is only three dollars, Michael, you might have enough in your piggy bank to get that next time." But Michael said, "No, I don't." I thought he was disappointed he couldn't buy it now so I said, "Yes, you might." He said, "No, I don't." I said, "Yes, you might, you have dollars in your piggy bank sometimes." He said, "No Daddy, I don't. I don't have anything in my piggy bank right now. I gave it all to Haiti."

So Michael, bless his heart, is a budding philanthropist. He wasn't whiney at all about it either; he wasn't disappointed he couldn't buy the guy because he donated his money. He corrected me about his liquid cash position, then went about happily looking at Lego's. Good man.

Megan can write her name now. And Michael can read just about any word. Except for maybe 'chrysanthemum' or 'anesthesiologist' or 'psychopharmacology'. When I told Michael that eventually he'll be able to read even the biggest, gnarliest words, he said, "If only writers would eschew obfuscation and espouse elucidation." To which I said, "Allow me an interlude while I endeavor to elicit the denotation of your utterance." Ah, that's silly, but, honestly, I think Michael is very bright. And suffice it to say, I can't wear my "I love Megan" T-shirt anymore because he'd take a quick look at it and say, "What am I, chopped liver?"

Meg still doesn't understand that the good guy always wins in the kind of shows she watches. For example, during an episode of 'Super Friends' showcasing Wonder Woman, after our heroine has sprung a trap set by her nemesis, The Cheetah, who is determined to steel Wonder Woman's Magic Lasso, Megan might say, looking very concerned, "Daddy, is Wonder Woman going to get away? Will she get her lasso back?" Yes, Sweetheart, Wonder Woman is on the cover of the DVD. With her lasso. She's going to escape and win and appear in more episodes. Or when Scooby is locked in a barn by the monster, who is actually the farmer, Megan might say, "Can Scooby get out of there, Daddy?" Yes, Meggie, he'll be fine, he's the title character.