It's Right Because I Just Made It Up

The Gremlin isn't new to setting trends, but even this one surprised me. He was at the beach the other day when a boy many years older than him had a Nerf gun that the Gremlin wanted to look at. So he approached the boy.

"Scuse me, can I see your pch-ewer, please?" The boy looked at him scornfully.

"'Pch-ewer?' I've never heard of that. I don't know what that is."  The boy tried to turn away, but the Gremlin pointed and spoke up quickly.

"That's a pch-ewer."

"It's not a 'pch-ewer' it's a Nerf toy." At this point the Gremlin knew the kid did not want him to look at it, but the manipulation track the Gremlin took was so subtle and so quickly decided upon it took me by surprise.

"Oh, you don't know it's a pch-ewer? I thought you were smart so you'd know what it was called, cause only smart people know that." The boy stopped at this and looked at him. "May I please see your Nerf toy?" The Gremlin pronounced this last part very carefully, and the boy, now very unsure of himself, looked at his mother, who shrugged.

"You should let the little boy have a look at it." The boy turned back around and reluctantly handed over the gun. He walked the Gremlin through the basic functionality, shooting, cocking, and reloading, and then took it back. The Gremlin, with his short attention span, moved on to the playground equipment, and we forgot out the incident until we were leaving some time later.

Walking back to our car, we came upon the 9 year-old boy with the Nerf gun who had joined up with one of his friends, and was now explaining to him that they're changing the name of the Nerf guns.

"It's called a 'pch-ewer.' That's the smart name for it, and I just learned it because I'm so smart. You can be smart too, but I was smart first." But apparently not as smart as the 3 year-old who convinced you it was called something he had just made up.


Favorite Toy of the Week: Licky (so named because he 'licks the Gremlin a lot' when he goes to sleep)

Don't forget to check out the Gremlin's YouTube channel - which is being updated now, and contains even more Gremlin-related material!

Wisdom of a 3 and 1/2 Year Old - Fire Safety

"Momma can I have matches? I want to start a fire so that the firemen will come." 

This then prompted a long discussion about how if firemen came, he wouldn't get to see them, and then we wouldn't have any stuff - and it would be worse than the move.

Wisdom of a Mother who lives down the street: "I like these because you can throw them at your kid as hard as you want and they don't leave a mark."

Yeah, that wasn't an awkward conversation at all...

The Gremlin has also registered himself a YouTube channel - so view and subscribe to http://www.youtube.com/user/ADJTheGremlin

Video Update - Darth Gremlin

The Gremlin playing with his new toy (and Daddy's new Halloween costume) - a Darth Vader mask and voice-changer (recently in the news)

Becoming A Seattlite

The Gremlin was eating dinner yesterday, and listening to the conversation that I was having with the Mother of the Gremlin on recycling.

For those of you who don't know, Seattle recycles on a level I had never seen before - they separate trash from recyclables, but then also separate "compostables" - food scraps and yard 'waste.' The Gremlin - as a Seattlite - decided to chime in.

"This cup is recycle-ble." The MOTG and I shared a look.
"How do you know that buddy?" The Gremlin flashed one of his 'uh-oh' looks and stared into his cup for a minute. He finally decided to keep talking
"Cause it says so. There." The Gremlin pointed into his cup.

Once he finished, the MOTG and I took the cup and realized he had read the bottom of the cup (and understood the word) where it said the cup could be recycled.

PS - The Gremlin has requested it be made known he would like the  Lego Fire Station for his birthday, and yes, he has graduated to his father's and uncle's regular Legos.


Favorite Toy of the Week: Thomas the Tank Engine Fire Brigade

Wisdom of a 3 and 1/2 Year Old - On Death and Dinos

"Dinosaurs died so that people could see their skeletons."

Talking about Dinosaurs 3-D Alive at the Chicago Field Museum

Tell me how you really feel

Faced with the options of taking a bath or becoming homeless, the Gremlin made the obvious choice this week. (video pending blogger.com's uploading feature)




Here are some pics from Seapple. The first highlight was from "zipline park" with Uncle Zach.





The second highlight was from the Ballard Seafood Festival where the Gremlin took on a personality very much in line with his usual - the Pirate Gremlin



And I quote, "Yarrrr."


The final highlight I'm posting today is from later in the Ballard Seafood Festival where the Gremlin decided that, as pirate, he needed a boat. And proceeded to make one

Favorite Toy of the Week: Rescue Hero Fireman Billy Blaze 

Billy was discovered at the thrift store for $2 in two different outfits (making for two different rewards the Gremlin could receive)

Wisdom of a 3 1/2 Year Old - On Intelligence

"Mommy, is Daddy the smartest person in the world? Cause it sure seems like he has to talk to a LOT of stupid people."

Said to the Mother of the Gremlin while I was on the phone speaking with Verizon's Customer Assistance (trying very hard to not use that word while talking to them)

Vocabulary and Empathy

So the Gremlin has been adding words to his vocabulary lately - and whenever he does, he tends to use them heavily for a little while, even if he has to create ways to use them. While at the airport, he seemed to pick up the relationship of 'husband,'  'wife,' and 'son' or 'daughter' for the first time.

The Gremlin approached an older gentleman who had been making small talk with the Mother of the Gremlin a few minutes before.

"'Scuse me, but are  you a daddy?"
"Why yes, I have two children, and then I am also a grandpa - I have four grandchildren."
"So do you have a wife?"
"Yes I do, I've been married for 43 years." The Gremlin looked up shocked at this new bit of information, and empathized with the man.
"Oh, I'm so sorry!" He walked back over and sat down by the Mother of the Gremlin. As she has been listening to this exchange, she turned towards him.

"Buddy, you know I'm daddy's wife, right?"
"Yeah, I know momma, that's why I'm sorry."


Favorite Toy of the Week: Ball

The movers have not yet come, and the Gremlin's entertainment supply is a bit sparse

Daddy Would NEVER Hide Things. Really!

The other day the Gremlin was looking on the laptop. He's found that we frequent Kids Woot, and was looking for the "Track Mover" actually named Harvey. He found a collection of trains that included Harvey, and then turned to the Mother of the Gremlin.

"Momma, is Daddy going to buy those, hide them in his closet, and only show them to Grandma?"

"What do you mean, buddy?"

"You know, like Molly's talking station."

Sadly, there may not be a Gremlin update next week - the Gremlin has decided that talking to Daddy on the phone "makes [him] too sad, and [he] wants to cry." But rest assured, after that there will be numerous updates from the Gremlin's time in Seapple - including his first realization that he has a yard.

Favorite Toy of the Week:  Jeremy  

He's excited to 'ride Jeremy to Seapple to see daddy.'