old married couple

On Tuesdays, Luke is at home with his long-time nanny, Jackie, and his best friend, Sophia. Sophia and Luke met at the playground when they were about 1 year old, and Sophia immediately took to Luke. He was indifferent, but happy to let her adore him. As things turned out, Sophia and Luke ended up in the same preschool (the first one, which wasn't a great fit for either of them), and that's how I met Sophia's mom and we strategized to keep the two kids together and get them into a new school. Now, after more than a year of sharing a nanny, hanging out at each other's houses, and going to school together, they are fast friends. Only, the nearly four-year-old concept of friendship is like an old married couple that loves to bicker, but can also be incredibly sweet. Witness some of the exchanges from this morning:

Jackie: Sophia, I need to brush your hair.
Luke: Jackie! Let me do it. Sophia, can I brush your hair? I'm really gentle!
Sophia nods, and Luke brushes her hair, carefully going up and down with the brush, thereby creating some massive tangles!

Luke: Hey, Sophia! Let's play! Let's jump on the beanbag!
Sophia: Not now, Luke! I'm reading ...
Luke starts jumping, trying to get her attention, and Sophia studiously ignores him.

Luke: (singing) pokerface, pokerface, pokerface ....
Sophia: I am NOT a pokerface!

There are endless complaints about one another to the nearest adult (Anne! Luke isn't listening to my words!), yet they follow one another from room to room. They know what tweaks each other and delights in doing it. Luke pretends to poke or push, and Sophia will squeal with complaints. Sophia will ignore Luke until he's just about boiling with frustration.

Kidlets. I love 'em.

muir woods

Luke's school is closed this week, and Jean-Max is taking over to cover the gaps in childcare. Today (Monday) and Wednesday will be "Dada and Luke" days. Today, the boys are hiking at Muir Woods, and I just got this sweet little message that they're having "so much fun." Look at my boy with his impossibly long legs ...!

overheard

Mama:  Luke, are we still going to visit Lucky No. 7 today?
Luke: Why do you ask so many questions? You're driving me coco loco with all these questions. I need some quiet time. No talking, please.
Mama: Okay.
Luke: I said no talking! Sshhhhhhhh ......

the silverton

For those who would like to sing-a-long with Luke:

[falsetto] The Silverton shoveling coal .... hear the whistle blow ...

She was born one summer like in 18 and 80 and 1
She was a beautiful daughter of the D&RG
and she weighed about a thousand ton
It was 45 miles through the Animus Canyon
so they set her on a narrow gauge
She drank a whole lot of water and she ate a lot of coal
and they called her the Silverton
The Silverton train!

luke is tired after all that jumping on the bed