No Toys or Ghosts at the Table

Everybody knows that toys are not allowed at the dinner table. This is a steadfast rule in every house in the world (at least those that respect the sanctity of the family breaking bread together.) The TV may be on, but the toys stay in the den. Tiernan is well aware of this rule, and rarely attempts to bring a toy to the table at dinner, lunch and breakfast however...

These are less formal meals and he thinks he can sneak a train or car to the table during these meals. Perhaps, it is less the reverence for the importance of the meal and it is more of a real estate issue. During breakfast and lunch there is only three of us eating, and no pots or pans -- serving dishes to occupy the table space. Thus allowing space for Thomas and the gang from Sodor or Lightning and Mater. I think perhaps, it has more to do with space to play, than a sense of solemnity.

This morning I surprised Tiernan with two new NASCAR die cast cars, which I had ordered from Ebay. (Insert redneck joke here.) I know --- I am redneck, but the kid loves the racecars and I can spoil my only son. He was happy. Enthralled with the new cars and would not let them out of his hands, let alone his sight.

As Tiernan, Reagan and I were at lunch he had the cars with him at the table, but he was being good about not playing with them. He was eating and singing. I didn't notice the toy cars on the table. He was pretty much ignoring them.

As I am eating my lunch, Reagan said something it what to me was gibberish. All of a sudden Tiernan says to Reagan, "Don't say that anymore. Don't say that!"

"What did she say?" I asked bewildered.

"She said, 'No toys at the table.'" responded Tiernan.

WHAT!!! "Reagan said 'No toys at the table.' Really?"

"Yes," he said. "She shouldn't say that. I know toys aren't allowed at the table. I am not playing with them. I just looking."

"Reagan, Did you say that?," I asked bothered that I didn't hear her.

She just smiles the grin that she has that means, "Yes." It involves bared teeth and devilish giggle.

If she did say that -- WOW. I don't know if she really did. I have some doubts, but she has been talking a whole lot more of late. It is possible, that Tiernan pick up the words through the gibberish. Arguable, he is closer to speaking gibberish then I am, perhaps he has a better ear for these things.

Now, lets assume that she did say that phrase. She does hear me when I speak. And she was informing on her brother. The fact that he had his toys on the table upset her, and she said something. Perhaps she was upset that he got new toys and she didn't. Perhaps she was upset that she could not get down to get her own toys and bring them to the table.

Perhaps she didn't say it at all.

Let's take the position that she is just 17-months old (Holy crap! She is 17-months old. I have been telling people that she is 15-months old.) and just getting a handle on the whole speaking thing and still doesn't have the understanding to follow the rules. (Which was my position, prior to Tiernan's outburst.) So, she didn't say it. Tiernan just heard it. Should I be concerned about Tiernan's psyche? Is he that worried about being a bad boy that he's hearing his little sister rat him out to me? Is there some sort of brother/sister psychic connection what allows him to understand her? Like twins. I don't know, I am an only child. Such things could exist? Right. Maybe, Tiernan has the shinning and this house is haunted and someone else spoke it into Tiernan's ear.

Perhaps she did say it. I think she said it. The upside of having a smart well adjusted 17-month old is higher than the upside of having a psychic 3-year old and haunted house. She said it.