My Work Is Done...

OK, Timmy is two and a little bit. He is not yet potty-trained, he still spills any cup without a lid on it (less because he isn't able to coordinate but because he likes to observe gravity and the motion of fluids), he makes a red disaster out of himself every time he eats pasta, he still lashes out occasionally to hit Dunc when Dunc pisses him off ("pissing off" defined as "not handing over what Timmy wants", which is frustrating because Dunc is big on the whole look-how-nice-I-am thing and if Timmy asked nicely in front of me, Dunc would hand it over every time just to be fussed over by Mom for his excellent sharing), he has to give the baby her pacifier all the time even if she's sleeping peacefully, has no idea how to whisper (in Freivald-speak "whisper" means "speak so that you can't be heard across the church over the priest, organ, and choir") and in general is not yet at all a civilized human being.

However, there are two developments that tell me that in the ways that count, my work is done. First, he can recognize and join in singing at least three Clancy Brothers Irish folk songs that mention whiskey (yes, believe it or not, some of them don't), and he identifies and verbally begs for any Calvin and Hobbes book. "Skews me, Mom, ree CALveh en HOPS!" Clearly we have set him on the right path early.

(Jake's work is done because he loves Dilbert--he'll watch Dilbert videos over and over, muttering a few phrases after the characters say them with an amused and knowing shake of the head, as if saying, "Hah! Oh man, isn't that just the way it is?!?!)