I think he's ready for Mrs. Folger

Apparently he likes M. Gladwell, too.

This weekend, I heard silence. Not normal in our household filled with 'boy'. I came down the stairs only to find the picture of intelligence you see to the left. According to Brian, the little guy picked up the nearest copy of The New Yorker and sat down in his rocker to read. I promise I didn't pose this. (If I'd posed him, I'd have made sure to change the striped socks which clash so wonderfully with the bright red pants and prison striped shirt. Lordy!) Anyway - this afternoon, as Bennett was finishing up his nap, I picked up my latest issue of Parenting magazine (The Genius Issue) and read that kids who see their parents reading for pleasure are more likely to read for pleasure themselves. Hell yeah! We're doing something right.

That's a butt that just climbed itself up high!

Lest anyone think we're boring snobs, we also made a trip to McDonald's a part of weekend fun. It was snowing and cold and the trampoline park ("twampaYINE park" as someone little I know likes to call it) was full. I ordered a bottle of water and we let Bennett climb the ladders in the playplace. I am happy to report that he can finally climb up the web cage things all. by. him. self. Hallelujah! Neither Brian nor I has to step foot in one of those things ever again. I can't wait to see what he does with the climber at the zoo this summer.

For the record, Mrs. Folger is one of my high school teachers. I believe I had her twice, once for junior English and then again for AP American Literature. She's the one who forced me to read Jude The Obscure and Heart of Darkness. I do not remember those experiences fondly.