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I have been doing really well at cleaning up my expletives when the boy is around.  When he isn't around...watch the hellassbitchfuckshit out.  But what he doesn't know/hear won't hurt him, right?  So with his delicate ears in mind, I have been more cognizant of swearing when he is within ear shot.

I have, however, failed with something else.  When someone tells me a bit of information or a story that is surprising or exciting or shocking, my standard response is "Shut. UP!  SHUT UP.  Shut up."  Kinda like Elaine Bettis's "Get OUT!"  Any way, I hadn't really noticed how often I use that phrase...especially while I am on the phone in the car with my child in the backseat.  Alex was kind enough to show me the other day.

He was walking around the back yard with the ipod pretending it was a phone and he just kept saying "Shut. UP!  SHUT UP.  Shut up."  Over and over and over.  And of course Travis was there to witness and hasn't let me live it down.  I will say Alex has only used Shut. Up. in the same way I do.  He hasn't meanly told someone to actually shut up.  Perfect example is the other day when he went upstairs to ask Travis what he was doing and when Travis said he was changing his clothes so they could mow the lawn, Alex responded with an excited  "Shut UP!"  Silver lining people.

As of Tuesday night, Travis can no longer judge me.  I was reading books with Alex before bed and Travis came in to say goodnight.  Travis always says, "Te amo." and Alex always answers, "Amo!"  Sweet stuff all around.  But on Tuesday night after Travis said his line, Alex put on his best "I am totally being a little shit" expression and refused to answer him.  So as Travis was walking out of the room, he dejectedly said, "That's fine Alex.  Whatever."  And for the next 45 seconds, all that kid would say is "Whatever Daddy.  What-Ever."

It's all tied up in the Classiest Parent Competition in the Julius house.