Funny Stories

Iain Learns About "No"
There is a shelf in our hallway that holds dvds, cds, and videos. Iain is not allowed to touch it, and he knows it. But the brightly-colored cases can sometimes be too much for him and he reaches slowly out to touch. One of us, watching the temptation call his name, will say firmly, "Iain, no. Don't touch that." Usually, that's all it takes. He smiles sunnily at us and goes about his business. Sometimes, however, he's not so obliging. He'll reach again, be reprimanded again, and whoever is doing the watching will start to go to him to give him the customary swat on the hand. When he hears the "no" again and knows what's coming, he shrieks with glee and takes off down the hall as fast as his hands and knees can carry him. Apparently, in Iain's mind, "no" means "run!"

Iain in the Laundry

Iain's "Growing" Vocabulary
He is a very vocal child. He says "da," "ma," "la," and "na." However, his favorite thing to say these days, and his response to every question he is asked, is "duh." We can use this to our advantage, making him seem brilliant, by only asking him things in which "duh" is the correct response. But more often, conversations go like this:

"Iain, see the duck? What is this? D-d-duck."
"Duh."
"That's right, it's a duck. Now how about this book. Can you say b-b-book?"
"Duh."
How about bug? B-b-bug?"
"Duh."

"Iain, would you like more Cheerios? Say m-m-more."
"Duh."

And so on. He does make us laugh, that boy!