Shutup

Shutup.  No, really.  Shutup.

That is exactly what Benjamin said to me at the dinnertable tonight.

Apparently we have entered the sassified threes????

I was telling him to eat his dinner for about the fifth time in 5 minutes, and he started mumbling a few things then quietly said "shutup"

My eyes probably bulged out of my head and I must have looked at him like some crazy lady and said "what did you just say?"

It was as if he instantly knew he was in trouble and he said "nothing!!!"  all while avoiding eye contant.

I pressed him again asking him to tell me what he said.  He kept saying nothing, nothing.  He was suffering from a case of consequence fearing silence.

I told him I wasn't going to spank him but told him I was going to spank him if he didn't tell me.

He finally whispered "I said shutup"

*SIGH*  It's what I thought.

We then proceeded to have a very serious talk about how that is not a nice word.  How unkind and rude it is and how he will immediately be punished if he says it again now that he knows it is not a good choice.

I think he understood what we were talking about so I felt pretty good about our conversation.  I looked up at Peter to get his "understanding eyes" and "can you believe he just said that?" look.

Instead, he was nervously smiling.

Embarassingly smiling.

I smiled too but said it really wasn't too funny.  He said, "I know, I know....it's just that.....well.....he learned it from me."

SAY WHAT?

He continues "Remember how he was being suuuper whiny and annoying on Saturday morning?  Well, I had had enough and jokingly told him to shutup.  He repeated it then too and I told him it was not okay.  And then I apologized to him for talking to him like that."

Oh goodness.

So many things went through my mind after hearing it all.  That this parenting thing is not for the weak of heart and that it may only get harder as our kids get older.  That I really hope (for Ben's sake) that he doesn't tell me to shutup again tomorrow.  But mostly I was just grateful for a husband who lovingly knows how to apologize to his son when he says the wrong thing.  I know that telling his mom to shutup is not the worst thing in the world, but I really do hope that Peter and I can help Ben learn how to treat others with respect and kindness and love.  Not to be a "good citizen" but to be an example of Christ's work in a sinner's life.

I don't know what will kill me first.  His cuteness or his sassiness.  And yes Mom, I know I got exactly what I deserved in a son that's just like me! :-)