I have always noticed, from Max's time in utero on, that he responds to Ian differently than he does to me. He gets a little crazier around Ian, he shows off a little more, and he behaves as if he is a little tougher. Yesterday and the day before were Ian's days off, and the first days off in a long time that we didn't have lots of stuff to do. We puttered around the house, started trying to organize Max's room (which is currently a soul-crushing pile of boxes that have yet to be unloaded) so that it can become Max and Speck's room. Even with these projects, however, we were mostly at home, and it's been a while since I have seen Max have so much uninterrupted Dad time. I had, therefore, not fully realized that Max's capacity and desire for mischief are also greatly enhanced by paternal presence. Those of you that know Ian are thinking that I should have expected this when choosing to reproduce with him, and you are right. Max chased the cats mercilessly, he climbed furniture like he has never climbed it before, he slammed the piano on his fingers twice (learning nothing, apparently, from the first injury), looking at Ian with a wily grin after each infraction. Ian had to leave the house during naptimes, because Max was certainly not condescending to sleep if his dad was out in the living room having Man Time. Worst of all -- and I mean, WORST -- Max has learned to open and close all the doors in our apartment. We have been keeping the bathroom door closed, so as not to find toilet water and paper in places where it shouldn't be, but we will now have to employ elaborate locks somewhere high up on the door to bar our rascally son from weasling his way in. He is also no respecter of privacy -- if you go in the bedroom and close the door so you can change clothes at our house, you can and should expect the door to creak open moments later, and a small, fuzzy tuft to appear ominously in the doorway. I am not exactly blaming Ian for any of this, but none of it seems to happen nearly as often when he is not home. I'm just saying.
Friday, November 03, 2006
Boys' Team
I have always noticed, from Max's time in utero on, that he responds to Ian differently than he does to me. He gets a little crazier around Ian, he shows off a little more, and he behaves as if he is a little tougher. Yesterday and the day before were Ian's days off, and the first days off in a long time that we didn't have lots of stuff to do. We puttered around the house, started trying to organize Max's room (which is currently a soul-crushing pile of boxes that have yet to be unloaded) so that it can become Max and Speck's room. Even with these projects, however, we were mostly at home, and it's been a while since I have seen Max have so much uninterrupted Dad time. I had, therefore, not fully realized that Max's capacity and desire for mischief are also greatly enhanced by paternal presence. Those of you that know Ian are thinking that I should have expected this when choosing to reproduce with him, and you are right. Max chased the cats mercilessly, he climbed furniture like he has never climbed it before, he slammed the piano on his fingers twice (learning nothing, apparently, from the first injury), looking at Ian with a wily grin after each infraction. Ian had to leave the house during naptimes, because Max was certainly not condescending to sleep if his dad was out in the living room having Man Time. Worst of all -- and I mean, WORST -- Max has learned to open and close all the doors in our apartment. We have been keeping the bathroom door closed, so as not to find toilet water and paper in places where it shouldn't be, but we will now have to employ elaborate locks somewhere high up on the door to bar our rascally son from weasling his way in. He is also no respecter of privacy -- if you go in the bedroom and close the door so you can change clothes at our house, you can and should expect the door to creak open moments later, and a small, fuzzy tuft to appear ominously in the doorway. I am not exactly blaming Ian for any of this, but none of it seems to happen nearly as often when he is not home. I'm just saying.
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9 comments:
hah!
ya that is exactly why I made sure to buy handles with locks when we did the remodel
no Merritts allowed in daddy's office
We have locks on the inside of the doors, but I don't want to lock the bathroom when no one is in there -- I'd like to find a solutions where I can keep the Max out, but let the Chelsa in when necessary.
You can't help but think the guy is clever. I like opening doors too.
lack of cleverness is not my worry. for either of you.
Whenever Ian is around, I, too, get more mischievious and want to show off for him. I pull Annie's hair, lift heavy things, talk in Geekspeak, etc.
As long as you don't open the bathroom door and play in the toilet.
do you guys have knobs?
like instead of handles? I forget
they have those things you can stick over the knobs that confuse little ones and they take more hand squeezing power than a Max can muster to open a door
google for 'door knob cover' they are like $2
I just hope Ian is crafty enough to figure them out, or the hallway could become a mess.
we have the long skinny kind of door handles, which I think is why Max has figured them out -- they are easier to grip than knobs, and don't require full 180 degree turns to open. we had those knob protectors at the preschool, though, and they are basically adult proof. Max could probably still find a way around them, though.
I find that having rusty, partially falling apart pocket doors work well for keeping out...well, most all people.
Jen and I also notice that Mason responds to both of us differently. For me, when I read to him, he sits and stares at me and shows me his attention in this mannar. For Jen, he sucks her boob.
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