Wednesday, July 1, 2009

Sigh. Just one big, exasperated sigh.

I know a lot of folks participate in Wordless Wednesday. I'm not sure whose circus that is, but I should probably join it. Because I am once again confronted by a situation where I used lots and lots of words and gained . . . um, well.


Let's go to the film.

Remember Baby G's avant garde explorations of the tension between permanence and the ephemeral abstract expressed through his Sharpie scribbles on the wall?
I had a long talk with him about it. I really did. It included words like "No, no" and "No, no" and I think I probably added some "No, no"s to that. I put him in time out. I took him back to the drawings and told him "No, no" again. Then I hugged him and told him I loved him.

Baby G is very smart. He thinks about things. He considers carefully the size of objects he will put in the toilet, the best angle to use when launching my cell phone over the balcony, and the best spill zone for cereal to acheive the maximum effect. I know he thought long and hard about what I meant when I said, "No, no" approximately 8,047 times on Thursday. Clearly, I meant "no Sharpie". That's why he used pencil when he went back to do his enhancements yesterday:

I guess I do have words. I just can't say any of them.

32 comments:

Amber Lynae said...

Baby G is a very clever isn't he. At least your wall has a lot of character now.

I think I am familiar with some of those words you can't use.

*MARY* said...

I used to do that all the time, it's so much fun. My mom hated it though, I think that's why she kicked me out; it's ok though, I was 19.

Emily said...

Maybe you should teach him how to paint! If he MUST do art work on your wall, then let him paint over his mess!

You are a better mother than I am. I would USE A LOT OF #$%#^#$ to get my point across!

Kazzy said...

Oh man. I might lose it. How about a big easel and some erasable markers?

CountessLaurie said...

I sigh with you. My house is covered in crayon and pencil. Clearly there is a vortex between my mouth and her ears where all my words go...

Good luck. Hang in there. You are not alone!

Kristina P. said...

I am all about the Magic Eraser. Sometimes, I use it on my wrinkles. You know, like the half of one I have since I'm so young.

It doesn't seem to work too well.

Uh, oh. I need to up my ante, now that Mary is back!

Luisa Perkins said...

Oh, no.

At least you have your considerable wit.

* said...

Great post! I, too, have a little son (age 2) who's just learning to express himself but most often in monosyllables. Lovely ending, too (that you have words, you just can't say 'em).

PS: Wanted to comment on your comment on my blog (does that make sense)? Didn't mean offense to any SoCal peeps. My husband & I lived in San Diego for 4 yrs and we loved it. Just that I had a gripe brewing for years about how so many people I met while @ BYU thought Las Vegas was slime. I had to air it be done with it.

You're welcome to visit our Las Vegas chocolate chip waffle house anytime! As my five year old son says, "Seriously!"

Kimberly Vanderhorst said...

Oh my. That's the sort of cleverness in our off spring we could do without, however well it might serve them later in life.

Seriously. Mondo sympathies.

Lara Neves said...

On the one hand, at least he didn't use a Sharpie. On the other hand, well, there are those words you can't say.

I love Mr. Clean, I hope he works for you!

Unknown said...

Sounds like Baby G needs a Baby H to pin his crimes on...

Becca said...

The beautiful mommy paradigm: we do it, we teach it, we clean it up, we teach it again, and we do it again, and we clean it up again. Then we sleep, if we're lucky, and then it all begins over again.

Note: a layer of new paint probably won't hide Sharpie forever. Re-prime that spot. (sorry)

Anonymous said...

I am so sorry! I have no hints or clues for you since I haven't been there yet.

Jami said...

I feel your pain.

Since beating is illegal, as is chaining to walls, and little tiny cute-as-a-button straight jackets are also frowned upon, and as we all know teaching kindly is simply ineffective, my walls look like that too. All of them. Even the one I just painted clean.

In fact, as I wrote this comment I'm sure she just added another trompe d'oeil to one of her masterpieces.

Josi said...

This reminds me that it's time to thank my husband for the vasectomy he had a few years back . . . oh, and hair spray will get sharpie out of almost everything but leather.

Cajoh said...

There has to be a way to focus that creative talent without harming the walls. Does he do his art in one room or many? Perhaps you can invest in some Chalk-board paint and let him know that it is OK to use chalk on that wall and no other.

Stephanie said...

I think Baby G and my kids subscribe to the same genre of art. I'm sure they'll be genius partners some day.

charrette said...

This is hilarious! I loved every single word. I remember a similar episode with Miss Jordan (the princess) when I added to the No!No! by showing her a piece of paper and instructing her "This is where we draw". The next day, more drawing on the wall, and I almost blew a gasket until I realized...there was an exact imprint of a piece of paper inside all her scribbles. She had cleverly held a piece of paper up to the wall and then scribbled to her heart's content...just didn't manage to stay inside the lines.

Anonymous said...

It must be one of those days. My dudes disasterized my house today. We spent all afternoon cleaning. *Sigh*

Shelle-BlokThoughts said...

At leaast your kid went to pencil that you can MAGICALLY ERASE with Magic Eraser... but my kid just went back to permanent marker!

Fiauna said...

Two words for you: Magic Eraser. Trust me, I've been through this too many times.

Debbie said...

You are showing remarkable restraint! I am in awe.

Heidi said...

Brilliant. (Oh, and you are very talented, too!)

Lisa @ Boondock Ramblings said...

Oh goodness! He is smart. My little one used crayon and marker. Hubby claims he'll paint over the marks. I hope so.

Sometimes I wish I didn't have such a clever little one, but then again...it keeps life interesting. :-)

April said...

At least you know he's paying attention to you! Next stop....grocery store for a Magic Eraser.

Lynne's Somewhat Invented Life said...

Oh, so very funny. What a brilliant one Baby G is. And his momma isn't too bad either.

Heather of the EO said...

OH boy...

Yes! BOYS!!! It's not you and your lack of words! That's it! He's a boy...no matter how many no no no's, they always seem to up the ante.

Good luck to the both of us...

Dedee said...

I know those words! I think them really loud sometimes!

Mr. Clean. . .

Anonymous said...

I really never had too many problems with wall art (and couch art, and chair art, and desk art, etc.) with my first two kids--somehow I managed to keep the implements away from them and also supervise them well. Now with kids 3 and 4 it's all over.

P.S. Do you know how to get ballpoint pen and pencil and crayon out of the bricks and mortar of a brick fireplace? (Me neither.)

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