Scary Polar Bears

Last Saturday night, we took Noah and Sam to their first wedding. One of Joy's former teachers, my former students, and Sam's former babysitters was getting married invited us and made sure we knew that Sam was more than welcome to attend. We decided to chance it and see how he would do.

During the ceremony itself, Sam was fabulous. He wanted to know what was going on at the front, and since we sat at towards the back in case a quick exit was needed, he stood on my lap and strained his neck while I provided narration. After the ceremony, there were appetizers upstairs while dinner was prepared in a tent outside, a perfect arrangement since Sam's hungry stomach could be filled while we waited for dinner. All would have been perfect had it not been for the little girl there.

The little girl just turned 4 last week and is the daughter of another former student of mine. Sam instantly wanted to talk with her and play, but in her princess dress with matching bag, she wanted nothing to do with a loud, active, sticky-fingered boy. So Sam did what all young boys have done around young girls since time began - he pestered her.

Recently Sam has become enamored with polar bears. I'm not sure if it is based on his love of this book or his songs and "polar bear paws" (socks pulled over his hands) from Kindermusik last summer, but for the past few months he's been on quite the polar bear kick. He loves to run around the house and growl at people, expecting the proper reaction of being startled to find a polar bear behind you when you thought it was a young boy. He eats what polar bears eat, sleeps with his "paws" on his hands, and in general lives the polar bear life. So when he wanted the little girl's attention at the wedding, he naturally growled at her.

Her response?

"Stop growling at me."

followed by

"Leave me alone."

Sam's response?

"Growl!"

Already chasing the ladies and at a wedding no less. They do grow up so fast.