Fairy Tale

You might be aware that our family was a little tired after our July 4th weekend whirlwind trip.

We got home about 9pm Sunday, and still had to give the boys their baths.

Little Brother was exhausted from Pukestock 2009, and went to bed pretty easily.

Big Brother, on the other hand, was not content to settle down until we had read no less than 85 stories.

After reading about 43, I kissed him goodnight and headed off to unpack while Mom-E finished up the last 42.

Except that after finishing story #85, he wanted one more.

Tired Exhausted on top of pregnant and rencently puked-on, Mom-E had virtually nothing left in the tank.

She opted to tell Big Brother a story, which can be done with eyes closed. He was agreeable to this arrangement.

She told him the story of the Three Little Pigs.

*****

Now, fast forward to Monday evening.

(Remember, I wasn't there when Mom-E told the story.)

We were on the way to the grocery store, and Big Brother asked me to tell the story of the Three Little Pigs.

"Once upon a time,..." da da da... "And the first pig made his house out of STRAW," I said.

"NO!" exclaimed Big Brother. "He made it out of CARDBOARD! Tell it right, Dad-E!"

?????

"Uh, I think it was straw, buddy," I replied.

"No, cardboard. Mom-E is right and you are wrong," he declared.

My hampster wheel started to turn.

Apparently in her extreme fatigue, Mom-E was unsure what the first house was made of, went with her gut, and said "cardboard."

Good guess, Mom-E, but survey says, "X". Sorry, try again.

The words of my father floated into my head, "However you first explain something to a child, that's how it is. Forever."

Big Brother would not budge. Cardboard it was. And is. And ever shall be.

I tried to tell the rest of the story, except that I was unaware of the version where the wolf eats the first two pigs. Mom-E and I reached a consensus that in her version growing up, the wolf had a little ham/bacon appetizer.

We proceeded to have a long, hearty, much needed laugh over "cardboard".

Visions flashed through my head of Big Brother aruguing with his pre-K teacher over this story when he starts school next month.

Oh well, when we get older, we often think back fondly on the way Mom used to make it (or tell it, in this case). Even if she did add a little creativit-e to the fair-e tale.

For now, I think that Mom-E needs some extra sleep.

And the first pig needs to go on Extreme Home Makeover.

More fun from the family reunion to come on Fatherhood Friday. Stay tuned!

See you on then,
Busy-Dad-E