Chaos = Calvin

I used to love Calvin and Hobbes. And then...something happened. The cartoon was made flesh. And his name was Chaos.

Don't get me wrong. I guess I still love Calvin and Hobbes. Calvin is whacky and everyone needs a Hobbes in their life. It's just that it's a little different for me now that I live with it everyday. I am not exaggerating. Chaos was given a stuffed lion on the day he was born and I suspected nothing. Not a thing.

ChaosLion (whose name is more euphonious in real life) has a mane the exact same shade as Chaos' hair. More than once (or twice or even a dozen times) I have leaned over to kiss a sleeping Chaos and gotten a mouth full of lion fuzz instead. Chaos used to assure me that ChaosLion liked kisses so it was ok. In fact, ChaosLion liked goodnight kisses far longer than Chaos would tolerate them. I used to LOVE to listen to the two of them talking. It cracked me up and probably would have worried me some if not for Calvin and Hobbes. Once, when Chaos was 4 and up waaaaay past his bedtime, I went in to shush him. He said, "Mom, it's not me! Tell ChaosLion to stop roaring. It's keeping me awake and he won't listen to me!" Hmmmmm.

I kept the Calvin and Hobbes books on the TOP shelf because I didn't want Chaos to get any ideas about flame throwers and babysitters! Maybe what everyone else has always liked about Calvin and Hobbes is that Calvin is an archetypal (archetypical?) Boy. I don't know. I thought he was mental and it cracked me up. Now? Things I thought were freakin' hilarious when Calvin did them are, in real ife, annoying (and sadly, still freakin' hilarious). I'll give you a case study. (Ever see the strips where Calvin has to be in a picture?)
I should probably explain that the Quality Inn was a bit odd. They told us they had given us a 'suite' with a jacuzzi - but they didn't mention that they had replaced one of the four BEDS out in the middle of the room with the tub. No kidding. I'm sitting on one bed taking a picture of my family in the 'spa'.









I ask you. Is this normal?












Or this?













Or this? I try not to laugh because it only encourages him - and he has learned (by earning himself weeks of extra chores) that I won't tolerate his silliness in formal portraits or at Thanksgiving. Still. Did you do this when you were a kid? I didn't. It didn't occur to me!
Also - I have to point out how cool the pool water is! Wouldn't that be an awesome quilt detail?

Well, if you ever want to meet Calvin and Hobbes in real life, I have a boy and a lion I would be glad to loan you for your next family photo op.
Peace.