Testing the Water

Since Jacob turned three, he has been doing a lot of "testing." He tests me constantly, every day. For example, at the park I will tell him that he cannot go past THAT tree. Of course, he will immediately run right up to THAT tree and put a toe or two over the imaginary line, just to see if there will be a reaction.

The testing that particularly amuses me is the testing of new phrases. It amuses me not so much because it's funny when your kid yells "tough beans" at his friend, but because he almost uses things in the right context. Almost.

This morning on the way to school...

Jake: Mom, who's singing on the radio?
Me: That's Bob Marley, Jake.
J: Oh, damn it.

Maybe he's just not into Bob in the morning?

So...mom is supposed to get mad and tell you not to say that, right? Right? I know for sure mom isn't supposed to laugh.

And now I wonder how many times my parents were turning their heads away from us so that we wouldn't see them laughing while they were scolding us.