Did you see the animals daddy?

This week I went to San Diego for a Navy conference.  As I was leaving Connor asked, “where you going daddy.”  I told him San Diego California.  He then said, “What are you going to do there?”  I told him and then he said, “What’s in California.”  Wow, what an opening.  But I took the high road and told him about Sea World and the Zoo, two things with which he’s familiar.  Josie just giggled and pushed my suitcase around the kitchen like a little baby stroller.

The next morning when I woke up, I called home to check on the family and Connor wanted to talk.  He said, “Daddy, did you see the animals?”  I said, “No, sweatheart, daddy’s not going to the zoo, he has to work.”  He then said, “Well if you go to the zoo, go see the flamingos.  They are pink and they stand on one leg.  And the giraffes have long necks.”  Okay, so I won’t give you every portion of dialogue, but the point was he was making a logical progressive conversation.  It wasn’t just little fragments, it flowed and showed some pretty cool thoughts and connections.  He’s three!  I know I’m one of those overly proud “My boy is a genius sports star” kind of dads, but you have to be a little impressed no?  In any case, it was a really fun experience for me.  He then reminded me to bring him a present, pretty slim chance he’ll forget about that one. 

This weekend Josie got her first haircut.  Nita normally takes the kids for their haircuts, but I have gone with a couple of times and solo once.  Connor has always been pretty good, except the second time.  Let’s just say that he would have preferred being elsewhere and I had to hold him.  Now he sits on the horse or motorcycle and just watches the cartoon.  I’ve seen quite a few kids have absolute melt downs.  I mean screaming, snot running, kicking and shadow boxing kind of meltdowns.  So you can understand when Nita said she was taking both kids by herself I was a little concerned for her safety.  Apparently, Josie is so in love with Connor and wants to mimic his behavior so much that once Connor just relaxed and settled into his horse and trim, she fell right in suit.  Nita said it was as easy as could be.  And it was nice to get some of those little tangles out.  We even put her in little pig tails for about ten seconds, then she pulled them out. 

The nicest thing about being out on business travel with a lot of your colleagues is you always talk about your families.  So I’ve been given plenty of tips and milestones for which to prepare in the coming years.  I was told repeatedly to enjoy them now before the age when you want to sell them on ebay. I was also told I better keep working out, because there is a day coming when Connor (and God forbid maybe even Josie) thinks they can “take” the old man.  “But Connor just asked about the zoo and reminded me about the characteristics of flamingos,” I said.  One replied, “Don’t blink brother, don’t blink.”