Climbing New Heights

It may be a new year, but some things never change.  Our two guys for instance.  Ian, wild as can be, always in search of trouble.  Big brother Elliott calmly patting him on the back, making every effort to talk him into submission.  It just doesn't work.

Last weekend we were de-Christmasing the house.  Katie was up in the attic handing down the boxes for our onaments and such.  I wasn't paying much attention to what was happening around my feet, even though I felt some rustling around.  I was too busy praying that Katie didn't come tumbling out of the ceiling.  But within seconds, I felt something forcing its way between my hands that were firmly planted on the ladder up to the attic.  It was Ian.  He was two steps up the ladder and showing no signs of stopping anywhere short of joining his mama.

Not long after, I was on a ladder in the kitchen taking down some decorations.  When I went to get down from the ladder, I nearly stepped on Ian's head who was one step shy of joining me.  You could say that Ian is taking his search for trouble to new heights.

Elliott also has some pretty lofty goals these days.  I had to pick him up from daycare the other night.  I was almost in the door of the daycare when I realized I had a problem.  My truck only had one carseat in it and that seat was currently occupied by young Ian.  Problem solve - Problem solve.  I chanted to myself all the way to Elliott's room and then back out to the truck.

"OK Elliott, we're going to try something new tonight.  Ian is going to ride in the carseat and I'm going to put you on the seat next to him, the big boy seat, where you can put on a big boy seat belt."

"Why"

"Well, because mama forgot to make me take the car with two carseats in it even though we, I mean she, knew I had to pick you up.  We don't want her to feel bad about her complete mental breakdown, so we need to come up with a solution that will get us all home safely."

"Oh."

I got Ian in his seat.  Then I put Elliott on the truck seat next to him and fastened the seatbelt, which fit him about as snug as a pair of my jeans cling to Ian.  Then we were on our way.

"I need you to be very still back there Elliott.  And hey, let's play a game tonight.  When I yell policeman, you duck, OK, it'll be fun."

"OK daddy."

"Are you doing alright back there?"

"Yes.  Hey, tomorrow at school I'm going to tell Dillon I got to ride in the big boy seat in the back of the truck."

"Uhm, that might not be a good idea.  Dillon's parents might be responsible and they might not let Dillon ride where it is completely illegal to ride.  How bout we just keep this our little secret until Dillon is old enough to decide on his own if he wants to break the law or not."

"OK daddy."

"Hey daddy, I'm riding in the seat right behind you.  Maybe next time I can ride in your seat and you can ride in the other big boy seat up front."

"You mean you drive?"

"Yea"

And Elliott hasn't stopped talking about driving since he got his first taste of a grown up seat.  I suppose there are some who recall that I had a driving experience or two before I was supposed to drive, that would be, before I was a licensed driver.  Some may remember one of those occassions resulted in me wrecking a car, a car that belonged to my boss at the restaraunt where I worked, his new car.  It didn't look new after that semi hit it.

Elliott - GET IN YOUR CARSEAT!!