dinosaurs

**Boom**Bang**Hop***Skitter**Jump**Twitter**Giggle**Whisper**Run**Click**Thump***

It's like spring when the morning is all silent, the sun has not yet risen, the creatures are all asleep. But wait, you start to hear the chirping of birds, the skittering of squirrels, a bark of the neighbors dog. The sound gradually increases in volume as the day awakes. It's like this at my home. A light switch clicks. A girl giggles. A little boy speeds from one side of the house to the other, just because he can. Cupboard doors squeak as they are opened, thwack as they are carelessly shut. Water trickles from the faucet. There is the fight for the toilet, yes just one. Toilet. Not fight. I lay in my bed and listen to the kids at their most natural.

SIGH. pause. SIGH!(just a hair louder) pause. SIGH!!!
"What's wrong?" finally a bite form his big sister.
"I just wish dinosaurs were real. "Sigh.
(Here I can picture his little head hanging down, his little lips puckered out in a perfect pout.)
"But they are real. . ."(his face must brighten)". . . They are just Instinct." she says with the utter confidence of a 7 year old girl.
"Instinct??? What's that mean?"
OK now my little girls is standing a little taller, her chest out a little more, her head held a little higher, on her face that slight tilt and eye roll that says-I can't believe you don't know this.
"It means that they all died."
Now this draws in the other sister to help.
"No it doesn't instinct means that dogs know to pick their leg up so they don't pee on themselves. "
OK, now I am wide awake and trying not to disturb them with my laughter. Apparently my oldest has heard and needs to put his two cents in as well. But they girls have broken off into their little "Nu-Uh" "Uh-Huh" routine so he has to speak louder to get his point across.
"Dinosaurs are EX-tinct. "
"What's ex-tinct mean?" asks my big sigher.
"Nu-Uh" "Uh-Huh" "Nu-Uh" "Uh-Huh"
"It means that they all died." He is probably carrying on this conversation while playing his DS.
"Nu-Uh" "Uh-Huh" "Nu-Uh" "Uh-Huh"
"Then whats instinct mean?" he asks.
"It means that dogs know to pick up their leg so they don't pee on themselves."
I can't help it a laugh out loud. The room gets quiet.
Sigh. pause. Nintendo getting put quietly down. SIGH! the girls furiously whispering "uh huh" "nu-uhh" SIGH!!
"Whats wrong Korbin?!" this from all 3 kids.
"I just wish dinosaurs were real."