Our dinnertime conversations often take unusual detours, which is fine — it’s nice to have a chance to sit & talk together. This weekend, the topic was nicknames. The conversation went something like this, with the boys pitching in their thoughts:

Boy: “We have six monkey boys, cuz Daddy’s a boy.”

Boy: “No, we have five monkey boys and one monkey Daddy and one monkey Mommy.”

Boy: “Daddy can be a gorilla. That’s like a grown-up monkey.”

Boy: “No, Daddy can be Donkey Kong!”

Boy: “Yeah, and Mommy can be a howler monkey!”

Me: “A howler monkey?! Why? Because I holler?”

Boys, in unison: “Yeah!”

Me: [red-faced and totally humiliated]

Boy: “Ok, Mommy can be Mrs. Donkey Kong.”

Aww, shucks. Why didn’t they point out that all Donkey Kong does is grunt and beat his chest? lol. In all seriousness, though, I am working on my voice volume. I’ve told them before that I don’t like raising my voice, but they have to help me by listening and obeying the first time they’re told. I remind them how frustrated they feel when they think people are ignoring them.

Note to self: try harder to speak softly. ~Proverbs 15:1