I have always said to my wife that someday Justin is going to convince Garrett to climb onto the roof of our house and then jump off. Garrett loves his older brother and would do anything to be like him. If that meant climbing onto the roof and then “flying” off in order to please his idol, so be it. However, I was wrong…
Instead, Justin ended up on the roof….and I’m the one who put him there!
One Sunday evening, Grandpa Bob brought over a model airplane and charger for the kids to play with. From the backyard, I watched as Bob charged the tiny motor and released the plane into the air. The look of awe and wonder on Bob’s and Justin’s faces quickly turned to horror as the plane landed on the highest part of the roof. We tried everything to get it down…a hose, a leaf trimmer, a golf ball retriever, a thrown soccer ball, etc. Nothing worked.
While Bob and GWE were in the house and Grandma and Garrett played in the car, Justin and I stood in front of the house and looked at each other. We gave each other “The Look.” It’s that moment when two people make a non-verbal agreement that will never be spoken of, nor ever admitted to under oath. We made a “We-Know-What-We-Gotta-Do” pact.
I lifted Justin as high as I could. He grabbed onto the roof while putting his feet on my shoulders. Like a leopard, he leapt off of me and onto the roof. Using his hands and knees, he climbed all the way up…grabbed the plane…came all the way back down…and “trust-fell” off the roof into my arms. I have to admit, I was impressed. For a kid who hates going outside even on a sunny day, he was on the roof!
As proof of his adventure (and not to be used against me by Child Protective Services in the future), I now present evidence of Justin’s climb up Mount Priluck…without his Sherpa!
“I can see my house from here! Oh, wait…I’m on it.”
There’s a Jew on my roof. Yet, he has no Fiddle.
As a prologue to this story, the plane was retrieved and all was well until…..
GWE decided that she would be the next pilot to launch this toy plane into greatness. As she released the plane into the air, it whirled around and around. It went up one side of the street and down the other. It was truly a magnificent flight. And then, it crashed….onto the roof of our neighbor’s house.
I debated whether or not to go over to the neighbor’s house to explain that our toy was on their roof, but instead Justin turned to me and said, “Um…I’m not getting it.” And with that, he turned and went back inside the house.
I have been changing diapers every single day since 2006. I have officially had enough! The time has come to induct our youngest son into the Pantheon of Potty Pishers! We are now 6 days away from the potty training known as “Poo-mageddon 2014!”
