Both kids were safely buckled into their seats as we drove away from Carson’s preschool.
“So! How was your day, Carson?” I asked, as I ask everyday when I pick him up from school. I already knew the answer.
With major huffing and puffing, Carson replied, “I don’t want to talk about it! Stop asking!”
This has become his standard reply. Occasionally I’ll get a noncommittal affirmation that he had a good day or that he played with his best friend, Mary Grace, “on the monkey bars,” like, DUH MOM. At first I was concerned and would press for further details. “Did something happen?!” I’d ask, being careful not to say,”‘did anything BAD happen,” fearing that I’d give him the idea that if something had indeed happened, that it was somehow bad and that he’d possibly become the school hating Carson from the years before.
Though I’m not certain, I’m pretty sure nothing has happened, in fact I think he really loves school. He’s just choosing to be noncommunicative, like a teenager or man. (I’m not sure there’s really a difference.) Carson would just rather not talk about his day at school and it annoys him beyond belief that I’d ask, day after day.
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When Tate and I first met, he used to spend an inordinate amount of time quoting movies. I think it’s a standard mating ritual for males, trying to show their potential mate their incredible comic and memorization abilities.
I heard lines from Caddyshack, Fletch, and Spies Like Us nearly as often as I heard, “hey baby, wanna make out!?”
“One mocks what one does not understand,” was AND STILL IS (help me) one of Tate’s most favorite movie quotes. (Spies Like Us.)
Lucky for me (not), Carson has started quoting movies and expects great laughs each time.
“How about some delicious, hot schmoes! [dramatic pause] They’re s’mores, Buzz,” he’ll say, looking expectantly at me, hoping I’ll be as impressed as he is with himself. (Toy Story 2)
If that one doesn’t get the laughs he was expecting, he moves onto the movie Cars. “GOOD-BYE!! Okay, I’m good,” and on cue I laugh and laugh, heartily and artificially.
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So let me see if I understand. The only way I’m going to get Carson to communicate with me for the next twenty or so years is through movie quotes?
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I just wanted to remind you all about the blog carnival going on over at Blog Nosh Magazine that’s sponsored by Tide Loads of Hope. The carnival is a great way to support this worthy cause AND it’s a great idea for participating in this blog community while generating a little traffic for your blog. {hint, hint} Three posts participating in the carnival will be chosen to be featured on Blog Nosh Magazine!
Julie @ Angry Julie Monday
Twitter: AngryJulie
December 11, 2009 at 2:18 pm
Yea, we have the same conversations. I ask, what did you do at school, and respond, shrugging the shoulders and a “nothing”…
and movie quotes, seriously…everything in our house is Star Wars and Phineas and Ferb. I live in my own little non-boy world.
Husband and his best friend are teaching Caden to be geeky like them. It’s soo obnoxious.
Julie @ Angry Julie Monday´s last blog ..Our "Real Simple" Closet Makeover
Becky
Twitter: princessmikkimo
December 11, 2009 at 2:19 pm
My boyfriend quotes Seinfeld ALL. THE. TIME! I’m glad to know that 1) he’s not the only one and 2) he might someday stop. Right? Maybe?
Jennifer
Twitter: playgroupie
December 11, 2009 at 2:21 pm
Good luck with that! My almost 35 year old husband continues and continues, though it’s not AS bad as it once was.
Becky
Twitter: princessmikkimo
December 11, 2009 at 2:26 pm
Well my boyfriend is 43! I’m doomed!
Becky´s last blog ..first snow…
Jennifer
Twitter: playgroupie
December 11, 2009 at 2:26 pm
You’re totally screwed!
Amy
December 11, 2009 at 2:20 pm
I’m stunned to learn that there’s another Mary Grace under age 50 in the world. Weird. I thought mine was the only one.
Amy´s last blog ..You Should Be Watching Glee
Jennifer
Twitter: playgroupie
December 11, 2009 at 2:23 pm
You obviously don’t live in the south. Double names are all the rage. Mary + anything else is more common that any other name.
Amy
December 11, 2009 at 2:29 pm
No kidding!! I don’t know another Mary Anything up here.
Geez, I hope it isn’t our kids’ generation’s equivalent of Jim Bob. Although, if it turns out to be, she could always shorten it to Grace.
Amy´s last blog ..You Should Be Watching Glee
Jennifer
Twitter: playgroupie
December 11, 2009 at 2:32 pm
I’ve even started calling my daughter by both her first and middle name. It’s not a Mary+, but I think I drank the southern double name kool-aid!
Kat
December 11, 2009 at 2:58 pm
When Joey first started 3K I used to dig and dig for details about his day and he would never tell me anything. He didn’t want to talk about it either. I couldn’t understand it because I knew he LOVED school. Why wouldn’t he want to talk about it?
Then it was my turn to be the helper for his class and I immediately understood. There was so much hussle and bussle going on in that classroom that I don’t think I sat still for a minute. And neither did the kids. They bounced from one activity to the next. I was exhausted at the end of the day and when I got home the hubby said, “Well, how did it go? Tell me about your day.” And I said, “I don’t want to talk about it.”
Kat´s last blog ..WW- Angels Among Us
Laura
December 11, 2009 at 3:39 pm
My son won’t give any details about kindergarten (or about pre-k last year). He likes school, but I can’t get anything out of him besides ‘it was good’, or ‘we played’.
Heather
December 11, 2009 at 3:40 pm
They do get better with age….sometimes.
Beth
December 11, 2009 at 3:53 pm
My son’s new favorite movie quote is from Polar Express, “I didn’t do it, I didn’t do it”…..I’m finding it terribly annoying.
Heather, Queen of Shake Shake
December 11, 2009 at 5:21 pm
Yes, that is how it is. I guess I’m used to it now, being in the dark about the going-ons at school. Because when I get around any of their girl friends, OMG, they drive me crazy, why are they telling me every tiny detail of their day?!?
Like I said, I guess I’m used to the lack of boy communication.
~Laura
December 12, 2009 at 4:33 pm
What is with men quoting the movies caddy shack and stripes? My husband does this constantly also. He was mortified when we were first dating that I never even saw either of those. My son does the same thing to me. He and his twin sister are in second grade. I can’t get her to stop telling me every little detail of her day and I can’t get him to say more than good. Let me know if you can crack the code!
~Laura´s last blog ..THETA Mom
rachel-asouthernfairytale
December 14, 2009 at 9:55 am
ha! boys. I can still get the 6 year old girl to tell me ALL aobut her day. However, i know that’s going to end sometime.
GIGGLING over the 2 name thing
Almost every other kid down here has the middle name Anne, Grace or Nicole and they’re all called both names.. hee hee
rachel-asouthernfairytale´s last blog ..Pork Tenderloin with Orange Chipotle Marinade and Grilled Veggies
Alex
December 14, 2009 at 4:53 pm
What is it with men and movie quotes? My husband doesn’t do it (thank goodness) but all of my male friends could spend hours reciting movie quotes…weird.
Alex´s last blog ..Memoir Monday…
the planet of janet
Twitter: planetofjanet
December 17, 2009 at 12:50 am
short answer? yes.
just sit at dinner with my boys.
at least carson is quoting “toy story.” mine quote “monty python” … worse.
the planet of janet´s last blog ..Birthday dinner: the mama-san edition
Trenches of Mommyhood
Twitter: sarahviz
December 17, 2009 at 12:02 pm
Along with my *witty* husband, I have 3 little movie-quoters in my Trenches. The latest and greatest is the movie Elf:
“I’m in a store and I’m singgggggggggg-ing!”
“You’re not Santa. You smell like beef and cheese.”
Trenches of Mommyhood´s last blog ..You Get What You Pay For (Related: I Am a Cheapskate)