The Car Ride

I remember a time when car rides where peaceful events in our house. When the boys were smaller, we would put them in their carseats and drive around until they fell asleep. Brian and I would talk about life, our dreams, the day's happenings or whatever was on our minds.

Those days are now GONE! We took a quick little jaunt this afternoon, and it was pure mayhem. Here is how the ride went in dialogue form:

David: Mommy, can I tell you something?

Nathan: Mommy?

Me: Yes David.

Nathan: Mommy?!

Me: Just a minute Nathan. David is telling me (interrupted by David: Mommy, Can I tell you something?) something.

Me: What David?

David: Can I tell you something?
Nathan: Mommy, I tell you something too. (At the same time David is talking)

Me: Just a minute Nathan. Go ahead and tell me David.

David: Mommy, can I (Nathan: Mommy?) NATHAN BE QUIET! I AM TELLING MOMMY SOMETHING! MOMMY, CAN I TELL YOU SOMETHING?

Me: David, if you talk to me that way, you won't be allowed to tell me something. Nathan just a minute. Now David, if you want to talk calmly to me, then go ahead.

David: Mommy, can I take your picture when we get home?

Me: Yes! Nathan what did you want to tell me?

David: Mommy?

Me: David, it is Nathan's turn. Nathan go ahead.

David: But I wasn't done!

Nathan: DA-ID BE QUIET! I TELL MOMMY SOMETHING! Mommy?

Me: Yes Nathan?

Nathan: (incoherent mumbling)

Me: What Nathan?

Nathan: (continues incoherent mumbling) while David says: You can't wiggle if I take your picture.

Me: Very Interesting Nathan! Okay David, I won't wiggle.

David: Well you can wiggle if you want.

Nathan: Can I wiggle?

David: Nathan, if you don't stop talking, you won't be able to be in the picture.

Me: David that's not nice. You are talking just as much as Nathan.

David: Oh he can be in the picture too.

Nathan: Thank you Da-id.

Then they hold hands for a few seconds and carry on a conversation with each other for a minute.

David: Mommy, can I tell you something?
Nathan: Mommy, I tell you something?

Brian finally put an end to all of it by declaring martial law (a.k.a. Quiet Time). So, next time you talk to me and think that I am either a little on the edgy side or that I have completely lost all sense of reality, just ask me if I have been on a car ride lately!