Hello?

One of TJ's privileges this summer has been that we allow him to go home from Grandma's at 4:00. He rides his bike over there in the mornings, and then at 4:00 he heads home. He is only allowed to do this if Daddy is working from home. I'm not ready to have him home alone for 90 minute stretches yet. TJ isn't supposed to bother Daddy from 4:00-5:00, but he is allowed to play, watch TV, etc. This makes him feel very grown up.

TJ has started answering the phone, especially if I am not home. I will occasionally call Bill on my way home from work...to ask him to pick up the kids, start dinner, etc. TJ has figured this out and will answer the phone, assuming it's me.

The conversation usually goes like this:

TJ: Hullo?
Me: Hey Buddy. Is Daddy home?
TJ: It's you AGAIN? Why are you always calling here?
Bill gets on the phone. "Is TJ harassing you again? You really shouldn't call here more than once or twice a week, apparently."

Well, last night, shortly after 5:00, our phone rang. TJ, assuming it was me, answered it. Only, it wasn't me. It was some guy. So TJ hung up on him. Nice phone manners.

A moment later, that guy called me. I answered in my car, using my totally awesome, hands-free, blue tooth. So cool. Anyway, Jared was looking for a baby-sitter for Clark and Miles. Once we made those arrangements he said, "Hey, I think TJ answered your home phone. But after he said 'hello', he wouldn't talk to me." I laughed and said TJ was still working on phone decorum.

When I got home, I asked TJ why he didn't talk to Uncle Jared. TJ said, "That was Uncle Jared? All I heard was a guy say 'Hello?' and then I didn't know what to do, because it wasn't you on the phone."

I laughed again, and told him next time to say 'hello' back and ask who the person wanted to talk to. But I was extremely impressed with TJ's impersonation of Uncle Jared. The kid was dead on.