Texts with my sister

Coming off the field as his team advanced to the semi-finals after playing keeper for the second half, my son says:

I didn’t let a single goal in. But, also, they didn’t really aim very well. So that helped me.

Driving past soccer fields and their bright lights on the way to evening practice…

A, from the back of the car…

Holy moly! The lights are flashing!

…

Wait, never mind. I’m just blinking too much.

Mask Pants

Me: H, are you still wearing your mask from school?

H: Oh. Yeah. I forget it’s on sometimes.

A: After it’s been on your face all day, you forget you’re wearing it. Just like pants.

I go to get ice cream for H.

A: Can I have some?

I look at him.

Me: Are you really sure?

A: …yes. I know it’ll make my tummy hurt, but it will be worth it.

Me: You’re gonna make the best adult one day.

A: I know. When I’m an adult I can make all sorts of risky decisions.

H asks…

H: Dad, what color is your heart for real?

Me: Uhh, dark red?

H: No! That’s maroooooon!

Don’t tell me Covid and quarantine didn’t mentally fuck up a generation of kids.

H, sobbing before bed…

I don’t want to die someday.

And then…

But what if you and mommy die when I’m still a kid?

I catch A putting a toy in his mouth.

Me: A, don’t put toys in your mouth. You’ll choke.

A: No I won’t. It’s too big.

Me: Fine. You could catch coronavirus.

A tosses toy into H’s bed.

A: Ok. I’ll give coronavirus to H.

Putting the kids to bed…

Me: Do you want to go fly kites tomorrow?

A: Yes!

H: I want to go to the zoo…

Me: We can’t go right now, baby. There are still germs.

A: You told us in 2021 we could go places again?

H: Daddy, what if you die when you’re a grown up and we’re still kids?

Me: I won’t let that happen, H.

H: But what about G-mo and Nanne? What if they get really old?

Me: I don’t know, baby.

H: But why does everyone have to die when they get old?

Me: So new babies can be born.

H: Will we be new babies again?