Three Vaguely Related Things
We’ve been getting a lot of questions recently about how old Eli is. I say “we,” but what I mean is “Eli.” “How old are you?” someone will coo to Eli, who will look blank before going back to saying “wiggle, wiggle, JUMP!” and doing the Monster Pants Dance. And oh, the dancing that occurs.
Now he mostly knows that the answer to “How old are you?” is “Two.” I guess next year we’ll teach him to say “three.” It’s the toddler version of the Y2K bug.
I was off in Atlanta this weekend working on that eternal project for a nearby science fiction convention. As part of the weekend activities, I had to shave my goatee off. I’ve had that goatee for six years, so it’s quite the change. When I got home Sunday, Eli stared and stared at me. “Daddy?” he asked, with this half-grin on his face, before sidling away. Eventually he decided that I was still me and from then on wouldn’t let me be more than three feet from him at all times.
After dinner last night, Misty asked him, “Are you a dinosaur?” He roared on cue, his head shaking from side to side in preparation for tearing into a triceratops. “What kind of dinosaur are you?”
“I’m two. Two dinosaurs.”
“What kind of two dinosaurs are you?”
“I’m an Eli Tyrannosaurus Rex.” And he stomped off to terrorize the rest of the house.
Related posts
Comment by vika
I still remember the day my mom and I went to the trolley bus stop to meet my dad, who was coming back from a business trip or something. I must’ve been between 2 and 3.
The man was *terrifying* until I realized that it was just Papa without his glasses.
Posted on May 15, 2006 at 2:16 pm
Comment by Joyous
There are similar reasons I will never cut my hair.
Posted on May 15, 2006 at 4:26 pm
Comment by May
Stephen,
I do hope you are going to grow the goatee back. Your shaving it off would be like your Dad without his beard. You just won’t be the same.
May
Posted on May 15, 2006 at 6:12 pm
Comment by Geof F. Morris
It was disconcerting. I told Stephen tonight that looking at him all cleanshaven made me feel older than him. Something’s just not right with that.
He and Misty then joked that I should shave my beard. I was really considering it for 30 minutes [just to see if, trend-setters we are, we could get the rest of the geeks to go cleanshaven], but … well, I don’t think I could do it.
Posted on May 15, 2006 at 10:42 pm
Comment by Kat
Sean’s not allowed to shave his goatee. The one time he did it, I felt like a cradle robber until he finally grew it back. It really is disconcerting how much just a little facial hair can change your appearance.
Posted on May 16, 2006 at 9:09 am
Comment by Stephen
Aw, Kat, you’re no fun at all. Come over to the dark side, Sean….
Posted on May 16, 2006 at 12:18 pm
Comment by Geof F. Morris
… says the man who could pass for 25 right now!
Posted on May 16, 2006 at 3:58 pm
Comment by Sean
I do believe that pictures should be required. Geof I am sure could arrange some to be taken and posted against Stephen’s will.
Posted on May 16, 2006 at 11:14 pm
Comment by Sean
Oh, and Stephen, before you watch any more R Rated movies, we will need to see your ID.
Posted on May 16, 2006 at 11:14 pm
Comment by Ashley
Yeah. Funny thing about that. Geoff is extremely skilled at taking pictures of people and posting them on the internet against their will. He also likes to append the pictures with silly nicknames
Watch out Stephen! You might get labeled as the trophy husband or something 
Posted on May 17, 2006 at 9:04 am
Comment by Geof F. Morris
Who is Geoff, Ashley?
I was going to take photos last night, but I am still fighting a cold that I didn’t want to pass along to everyone. The upshot is that I feel pretty good today, but … I felt like dogmeat yesterday.
Posted on May 17, 2006 at 11:03 am
Comment by Stephen
Clearly there will need to be a follow-up picture so you out-of-town folks can boggle at the change.
Posted on May 17, 2006 at 11:06 am
Comment by Geof F. Morris
Thursday night, after work, your house, before Eli’s bedtime.
Posted on May 17, 2006 at 12:34 pm
Comment by Ashley
I just thought you were worthy of having two f’s in your name
Posted on May 17, 2006 at 3:41 pm
Comment by Geof F. Morris
Okay, Ashleyy.
Posted on May 17, 2006 at 6:00 pm
Comment by Joyous
Not only are there plenty of pictures, the phenomenon has been captured on video!
Posted on May 17, 2006 at 10:35 pm