Gas

If you have kids, then you know the moment I'm about to describe. You tell them a new word, and they repeat it, and you're proud because they repeat the word and don't completely butcher it. And then, maybe a few days or weeks later, you drive past that same thing, and without prompting, say that word back to you. And then they turn it into a full sentence.

And that moment is when you realize your kids are geniouses*. And that they are paying attention to EVERYTHING you say in the car. I was talking to BellyMomma on the phone when this moment happened, and I told her about it, and she laughed and said yep, they're listening. All the time. Oh lawdy. I knew it was going to happen, I mean, they dont stay drooling blobs forever, but I figured I had more time before they started to get smarter than me.

Did anyone else also just think of the first Jurassic Park when the raptor dinosaur gets smarter during the movie? No? Ok. Moving along.

For me, one of those moments for me was when we told the boys about gas. As in, gasoline. We stopped to get gas, Keith hopped out, and I told the boys that Dad was getting gas. As a funny sidenote, I also told them that Dada has gas all the time. I wonder at what opportune moment they will repeat that back to me....I digress. I had coffee this morning. Lots of thoughts swirling. Anyway, Keith filled the car with gas and off we went to wherever we were going to tire the kids out.  This was almost a year ago, or so, right when we started putting more words together. At the time we were really into greeting and saying goodbye to all things and places, so as we left, we all said goodbye, gas station!

Fast forward a few weeks, when we're driving and all we can do in the backseat is point out gas station. Das a gas stashun! Dada put gas in car. Car need gas. OOOH. Anoder gas stashun! Two gas station. Gas station on Gwady's side. One of Cowey's side, too. I know. I'm overcome with their intellect  too.

So, maybe the gas station phrases weren't that profound on their own, but for me it was a distinct change in their language skills. We were leaving the point and say a word or two phase, and now we were thinking -and speaking of- places and we were thinking about the purpose of those places. And this, my friends, is so cool. You'd have to be lacking a pulse to not think that brain development isn't midly fascinating. So for the next few weeks, as we drove, the boys asked about places and started chatting about these places in everyday language. Two other funny places: the major southern fried chicken fast food store in our family is called "Chicken Nuggets", and the king of burger joints is called "Momma's Coffee". So you see the level of sophistication of our descriptions vary. Sometimes we just call it what Momma gets there. Notice it's not called Momma's chicken nuggets, 'cause Momma has to get the chargrilled chicken sammich to her rear doesn't keep expanding, and they're just not interested in that. Is dirty, Grady said. I think he meant the seasoning.


Ok. So, to recap: I have fond memories of gas stations and gasoline conversations.

Flash forward to current time, when we are both really into pushing trucks, like Cousin Rhett taught us.

We were playing after dinner, waiting for Dada to get home. And then Cole said he needed some gas for his truck. Oh. I thought. This is new.

Me: And what type of gas would your truck need?
Cole: (thinking)
Me: Where does the gas go?
Cole: (thinking)


Cole: OH! Here. (runs to pantry, points at cereal containers). Dat! Truck needs it.

So, you can see that this much loved cereal fuels more than just bodies. And, as Cole learned soon, that fuel will also be consumed by two dogs who will follow him for hours until he leaves the truck unnatttended.

Grady, too, got some fuel for his truck. He decided Beah needed to eat the fuel. You'll notice below that Beah, and a sippy with milk, was Grady's truck's cargo.

This little man loves that bear. So much so that when he pushes the truck around he talks to Beah.

Grady: Oh. Beah want to go for a wide?

Beah: (stares)

Grady: Beah like the truck?

Beah: (slumps a little towards sippy cups)

Grady: BEAH, no drink my milky! (chuckles to himself, 'cause Beah can't drink!)

He has a really funny sense of humor, this kid. He's already mocking his brother (separate blog post that I'll do without making it sound like I laughed inappropriately at Grady's teasing of Cole) and teasing his stuffed animal, so there are some good and funny times coming, I can tell.

So there you have why I smile and get nostalgic whenever I pass a gas station. Or eat a bowl of that cereal. Or find Beah perched on Grady's high chair.

*It's all relative, people.