My Son, aka Mr. Smarty Pants...

The other night, I had to go to my math class. I hate math. I hate it with the fire of a thousand suns. Math and I have a long standing hate-hate relationship that goes back to the 1st Grade. These feelings have endured over the last 22 years and neither party has any intention of letting go of that animosity. School policy requires that I take this math class as well as one more that I will be completing in the Fall. When that class is over, I will be celebrating my victory over the enemy with great amounts of joy and chocolate cake. What victory, you may ask? The simple fact that from that beautiful moment on I will NEVER have to take another math class again! Ha! Take that Algebra, and all your demonic cousins!

Anyway, I didn't log on to rant about that...

On the same night as this dreaded class, my cute little family came to pick me up when it was over. Since it was already 7:30 pm and we'd all been out and about that evening, we were already pretty hungry. Who wants to wait for me to figure out what to cook at home in a situation like that? Not me!

Needless to say, we decided to give Panda Express the pleasure of our patronage. It was ridiculously packed for a Thursday night. However, we found a table and I waited with the kids while Tyler stood in the long line to order our food.

While we sat and waited, Caden began to play some serious air-guitar. He was doing incredible riffs and it was getting pretty loud. I decided to intervene, for the sake of everyone's dining experience.

"Caden, no air-banding please."

Without missing a beat, Caden said: "Okay, how about air-bending?" Then he proceeded to do the hand motions and sound effects that are appropriate and necessary for bending the air.

Of course, the term "air-bending" is in reference to the Nickelodeon cartoon: "Avatar: The Last Airbender." Even more prevalent on the minds of the American public these days is "The Last Airbender", the film version of that show. Trailers and previews for this movie are inescapable anymore. Caden has been doing a lot of air/water bending lately.

Does my son watch too much TV? Don't answer that...I already know.

Anyhow, what was my reaction to this dinnertime conversation? I laughed my freaking head off. I love it when Caden's quick wit catches me off guard like that. He never ceases to amaze me. Besides, air-bending is apparently much quieter than air-guitar, so why not let my son practice his Avatar skills? He'll be saving the world in no time.