Phagy

Bad Bad Habit

Ansel thought I should not put an image of this one on the blog because perhaps it might encourage other children to do bad things like sit on one another's heads.

We definitely discourage that sort of thing around here.

Does Someone Need A Hug?

My older son spent the first few weeks of his infant brother's life constantly declaring, "I NEED to hug the baby!"

...."Hug" being perhaps synonymous with "crush," "dominate" or maybe even "obliterate."

While some genuinely affectionate hugging does happen now, there is usually an aggressive quality to even the most benign gesture.

Meat Shield

My kids love the term "meat shield."  It is one of those phrases that they latch on to that makes my lunch want to come up. 
But play acting about meat shielding results in some physical closeness that looks almost friendly.

I Am Going To Kick You In The Face With My Foot

"....With My Shoe On!"  Just in case the earlier part of the sentence did not provide enough motivation.  Here they are applying their feet to one another, but often I am the foot target.

Got You Back

Keep your enemy close, particularly if he is a close relative. 
In fact, perhaps it would be best to store him right on top of you.

No One Kills You But Me

A quote from the Wolverine movie, I am embarrassed to say, but certainly the statement and the good natured urge to fratricide did not originate there.  My sons are probably not capable of sitting through the movie to get to that line anyway, because they would be too busy doing something like this.

It's Going To Be Like That, Is It?

Kind of a bad Harryhausen, isn't it?

There is sometimes some confusion as to which body belongs to who among my sons.  But even if they might be overidentified, they are certainly never in agreement.

Are You Biting Me?

This is not a question I like to hear, but do with surprising frequency.  Our older son was flagged as a "biter" at school for several years, so it is a sensitive topic.  

We Don't Look Like Dorks

Fear of dorkiness is intense and persuasive, but it does not stop one from trying to push one's brother's face off on a subway platform, does it?

Dude, I Totally Cut Your Head Off First

"No way dude! I cut yours off first!"

"But I ressurected first!"

"No you didn't!" 

And so on.

Just a typical dialog from a typical play date for my older son.

The constant casual threats of violence used to really give me the creeps (and still does sometimes) but it is so detached from any physical reality, it is best to not take it too seriously.

Sculpture is not so detached from physical reality, so it was not so easy to suspend the heads separate from the bodies on the above armatureless sketch.