Sebastian is in a bit of trouble this weekend, and is on triple probation and ultimate grounding. He is not allowed to use anything that requires electricity, nor is he allowed to play with any of his friends. I will have to check with my wife to see if he is allowed to eat anything other than bread or drink a beverage that has any flavor to it at all. In fact, I think all he is allowed to do (other than read or study) is watch the grass grow or pick up dog poop in the back yard. So I thought I would reminisce about another weekend, roughly six years ago, when Sebastian was not having such a great time either, albeit for different reasons….
A few weeks ago, I started a new weekly theme: Sundays are for Sebastian. Sebastian is my four-year old and he says some of the funniest things–we have no idea where he gets his material since his mother and I are rather boring, serious people. Nonetheless, here is another gem:
My wife and I have been incapacitated for the better part of the week with the flu, but it has thus far bypassed the boys. Today, however, Sebastian seems to have come down with a mean case of diarrhea (which was not a part of either of our ailments). After school, my wife made it clear that under no circumstances could he touch anything. He was scolded a couple of times for not heeding his mother’s dictum. A bit wounded, he skulked over to me. After a moment he looked up to me and asked:
“Can I touch myself?”

I am also reminiscing about our previous home in Philadelphia, where the blossoms are no doubt once again coming out….