It seemed like a good idea at the time...

Gabriel has a t-shirt that reads, "It seemed like a good idea at the time" and tonight Michael demonstrated just how applicable that shirt really is for little boys. Warning: This post contains gross and yucky details.

In the last day we've noticed that Michael seems to either be coming down with a cold or is experiencing allergies, as he has had a runny nose and is sneezing a lot. He is pretty good about letting me help him blow or wipe his nose for him but he doesn't seem to be too proactive in taking on the nose blowing/wiping himself.

Tonight, as I was trying to fold clothes and iron Jarrett's work shirts, I was watching the boys play like typical boys in the front room on the carpet. Gabriel was lying on his back while Michael sat on top of him and they were laughing hysterically about something. All I heard was "Don't try to marry me? I don't want to marry you!" coming from Gabriel's mouth. To get a better understanding of what was exactly going on, I nonchalantly stopped what I was doing and tuned in to witness the following...

Before I go into that, a little back ground information is important. On the day we went to pick up the boys to bring them with us to their forever home, I took with us two scrapbooks I had made for perspective birth families and case workers, in our quest to adopt. The books are filled with pictures from our past, pictures of our families, things we like to do together, and our wedding photos. Basically these books are the story of us. When we showed the boys the books they were completely enthralled with them asking about each photo. When it came to the pages about our wedding and specifically the photo of Jarrett and I kissing, the boys asked, "Oh Mom, that is when you and daddy got married right?" We answered yes, and ever since that day, when the boys see two people kissing they automatically assume, that that means they are married. (When the boys are 16 and 17 years old, and wanting to date girls, I'm going to remind them of this little rule about kissing).

So, anyway back to the two boys on the floor. With Gabriel, the older brother, on the floor telling Michael, who is sitting on his chest, that he doesn't want to marry him, I realize that the reason why he is sitting so close to his head is that Michael is trying to kiss Gabriel. Now usually the boys will be affectionate and hug or kiss each other on the cheek regularly. As I crept closer to see why Gabriel was so insistent on fighting Michael's kiss, I noticed Michael had something strange right in the middle of his forehead. Deciding it was time for mom to intervene, I walked even closer and said, "Michael what do you have on your head?"

With a plain-as-day response Michael stated, "Boogers Mom" I guess my ingrained girly response immediately kicked in and I shouted, "Gross" at which point Michael decided to show me exactly how and why boogers ended up on his forehead.

We all know which way gravity pulls things and I guess Michael thought that he'd show gravity who is boss. So with the palm of his hand his grasped the lovely mucus running out of his nose, and with a gentle swoop, he simply swiped the snot and pushed everything straight up his face, until he found a good resting stop right at the top of his forehead. I can just hear his brain telling his hand, this is a good solution to your sticky problem. Again, I'm sure in his head it seemed like a good idea at the time but somewhere things took a very wrong turn.

Then, seeing Gabriel's grossed out response, Michael realized he had ammunition to play with his big brother. As he sat on Gabriel's chest, fighting to give him a kiss, it became clear to me that Michael wasn't trying to give his love, and show is affection with his brother, but instead, he was trying to pass his forehead display onto his brother's face. Isn't that nice?

After putting together the pieces, I can assure you that the game of "getting married" was quickly ended. As a little girl, there were many times that I played "Wedding day and getting married" but in my entire youth, actually my entire life, I've never played that game the way my two little boys played tonight. I don't think we'll be playing that game ever again.

Although, as I think about it tonight, for a three year old, I do have to give him credit. Not wanting to take the time to stop playing to mess with some silly nose, and knowing that he had better not put his deposits on any furniture or carpet, I guess he did what seemed to make the most sense at the time.

Oh the stories we'll get to tell about them when they are older and easily embarrased.

Until the next time,
Angie