Becca made a delicious potato soup for supper. Our boy valiantly fought his way through it, but the weariness of a long day at play stretched across his face and finally he looked up. Pathetic, food-splattered, mumbling with all the grace of a tired two-year old:

Thank you for the good food...
can I be excused and I want to go to bedtime.
Can I go to bedtime now?

Becca helped him into pajamas, brushed teeth, and tucked him into his sister’s bed, where he waited with book in hand. I finished up supper with our girl.

Becca came out:
He is waiting for you to come in and read The Three Musketeers with him.

Okay,
I said.
I'll be there in a couple.

(we have been reading a delightful interpretation of the Dumas classic. Although it is a vividly-illustrated version for children, the language is far above his head...yet he follows along avidly through each swirling intrigue, peppering me with questions and trying to hang onto as many of the character names as possible).

Obviously, the few minutes I took to get there was a few minutes too long. This is how he nodded off: waiting for me, his dad, to show up and read him to sleep.

And I was too late.

I write this and share this to help hold myself accountable for the future. Sometimes you just gotta drop things and do 'em now.

Sorry, son. We'll continue with D'Artagnan and friends tomorrow night...

****

Below is a heartfelt cover of Joseph Arthur's classic "In the Sun" by high school students Lanessa & Zachary (yes, full disclosure: she is my little sister :) Simple, beautiful, powerful. A rendition that would surely make Mr. Arthur and billions of angels across the universe smile with goosebumps. Listen for the harmony on the chorus.

Thank you both.

We have been playing memory game for the past couple years. Our favourite, by far, is the version based on the wonderful illustrations of Charley Harper.

Sometimes, you let kids win something to help keep them interested. Build self-confidence, whatever. And sometimes you just get plain beat. And that so mortifying when you're the adult and you consistently get whupped by

1) your wife and
2) your five-year old daughter.

Seriously. No joke, she is incredible. I am not bragging about her on some big public social network where everyone can see how proud I am; I am merely stating a fact here on a little tiny blog that a little corner of the world will see. She is good.

And she walloped us tonight.