What September Brings: Po

Hey hey. Here's what's going down around here. Lots of kids, lots of cats, lots of commotion. I can tell you, upon downloading (uploading? onloading?) this last batch of photos - 80 out of 86 were of the kitties. And I only took 70 of those. :)
But this day is not about kitties.
This day is about the alter-ego of young Lear.
Mr. PreK has been signing his name on everything, and is proud as punch.
Check him out:

Po

"Po" doesn't see the need for all those extra letters. "Po" says "Let's hit the high notes, ya'll. Yeah, yeah, I gots other numbers in my name, but this? This I can WRITE!" I was laughing with my friend about his school persona, and how the kids & I call him "Po" whenever we talk about School Phoenix. "Po" is very well-behaved, and in fact his teacher calls him a "joy in class." "Po" recites the classroom rules and follows them each day.

But when the day is done, and that bus rolls into our neighborhood...

Dun-dun-DUNNNNN!

Phoenix surely gets off that bus, and "Po" is left for the next day.

Roaaaarrrr, where's my snack? SIT with me! You idiot! Cry-baby! I wanna hold Chloe! Waaaahhhhh!

Crash bang boom, jump off the furniture onto the table and then onto Isabella's head.

Phoenix is a rather loud boy. But, you knew that already.

And yeah. He does call everyone mean names. Including me. 

He's very familiar with his room and time-out after school. In fact, his attitude could be characterized as After School Tourette's, as he blasts through the house, letting loose all that has been held in through the school day.

At the end of the day, after he's done all that other great stuff, but still won't go... to sleep...

Then, we have bedtime Phoenix.

Bedtime Phoenix requires snuggling and hand-holding (of course), and likes a little role-reversal at the end of his day. And so every night:

"You be Phoenix, I'll be the Mommy."

I channel me some Phoenix, and recite things that he's told me about his day. And that's when I learn other things about his day:

Me, as Phoenix: And then, on the bus, Jack sat on me! And he spit on the girls and Vega!

Phoenix, as The Mommy: Well, Sweetie, you spit on Jack first and you shouldn't do that.

Me, as Me: Wait a minute! Phoenix! Did you spit on Jack? Buddy, you didn't tell me that.

Oy vey, this boy.... he smiles and sucks his thumb contentedly, flashes two fingers and says: 

"Two more minutes. Stay with me two more minutes."

And when he's supremely tired and can't be bothered to pull his thumb out and speak, he flashes those two fingers and blinks heavily... on his way to dreamland.

Where Po and Phoenix meet, and all their differences are of no consequence.