Wednesday, March 21, 2012

Tomatoes and Tornadoes

Here in West Texas, lovely Spring always bring her companion- Severe Weather. Since my oldest was 3 years old, he has had a valid fear of Tornadoes. We had the luxury of visiting family on the day a tornado hit their town. We were blessed not to have been harmed or seen any damage, but for a 3 year old sitting in the "Hiding Place When A Tornado Comes" right next to the bathroom that someone left fragrant, hearing the sirens wail, watching the hail, having a power outage, and having your baby brother cry because he just woke up from a nap... well, it can be a bit traumatic.

Today, he had a Tornado Drill at school. This brought all the dangers of a tornado to the forefront of his mind. All afternoon he was explaining all he knows (and makes up) about tornadoes to his now 4 year old brother.

Lliam's List of What He Knows About Tornadoes:
  •  Big and black (sometimes green.... they are the worst, he thinks)
  • Go all the way to the clouds
  • They are fast
  • Pretty Dangerous
  • Strong
  • Can make you worry when you think about it
  • They are hot, cold, and sticky (according to the janitor, he says)
  • They do not have feelings but  they like to break things

After a long, emotionally draining day, I was looking forward to a nice long hot shower. I find that those relax me. Call me crazy (and some do), but I feel like all the stress of the day just washes off of me and runs down the drain. Needless to say, I was really looking forward to it. 

So before I could get this well deserved shower, I had to put the boys to bed. I got them all nice and tucked in, put on a story movie (a movie that reads books to them while showing the pictures and lighting up the words as they are read.... like Reading Rainbow) and hopped in the shower. 

Not 3 minutes into this glorious shower do I hear a knock on the door. In walks my 4 year old telling me that he does not want a tomato.
Me- "I am not giving you a tomato. Go to bed!" 
Aaron-"But Wiam says that a tomato is going to come and he will be dead!"
Me- "How is a tomato going to kill Lliam? Do we have to have this discussion now? Please go back to bed." (still in the shower with soap in my hair)
Lliam-(who has now decided to join in our conversation in the bathroom) "I don't need to do my homework because a tornado will be here in a couple of days and take me away."
A- "And you will be black and white?"
Me- "Where did you  hear a tornado was coming?"
L- "Do you watch the  news?"
A- "I don't wike tomatoes."
Me- "Do YOU watch the news, Lliam?"
L- "Sometimes when you aren't looking."
Me- "You are not doing your homework right now. You haven't been near a television all day. And you are going to bed.  Aaron, a tornado is not going to come tonight. Please leave the bathroom so I can finish my shower."
(Door closes)

I can't help but laugh at the conversations we have and locations where we have them. After I was nice and clean (and almost stress free) I go and check on the boys who are now talking about shark attacks. Now that is something to think about before bed! I inform them that the movie will be turned off if they don't cut it out. They inform me that they are thirsty. Well who wouldn't be after talking about sharks?
Over a glass of water, Aaron tells me what he knows about tornadoes.









Aaron's List of What He Knows About Tomatoes:
  • They happen in Africa
  • They take you somewhere black and white
  • He wants it to take his hermit crab, Mr. Gadgeck, away (Anybody want a hermit crab?)
  • They spit out robots
I just love being their mom!