The Eminently Quotable Charlie

If you have ever had the pleasure of having a whip-smart kid (or two), you know that they are often very, very funny. Charlie has been my most consistently unintentionally funny child of late. He gave me a Valentine he made at school that said, "Mom, I love you when you . . . give me leftovers."

I just love a low bar.

The other day when Jack was arguing with me about something, Charlie told him to stop arguing with me because I know best. I felt compelled to point out that Charlie himself argues with me all the time. "Yeah," he replied, "But I am always right."

At the school pep rally, the elementary kids--all eight of them--were playing a game of Family Feud. When it was Charlie's turn, his opponent buzzed in first to answer the question, "What shape is a basketball?" "Circle!" she announced triumphantly. Everyone cheered, the person in charge prepared to move on . . . and Charlie grabbed her arm and had a quick conversation with her that resulted in her handing him the microphone and him announcing very firmly into the microphone, "A basketball is a sphere."

This photo is also funny, as the hot air blowing out of the furnace has given skinny Charlie a distinctly muscle-bound appearance.

And just so we don't leave out that other smart kid we have in residence . . .

The other morning when Cubby was making himself some eggs for breakfast, he informed A. that I discourage him from cooking (totally untrue, by the way). "Because," he went on, "Jack and Charlie like my cooking better and she's jealous."

Yup. Those smart kids sure are fun.