Oh, brother

Hayden is learning to read. He's studying blends and special sounds and can read most any children's book you put in front of him. He is so proud of his new-found skill that he is attempting to read everything in sight in hopes of impressing anyone within earshot, especially Keaton, whose approval he seeks quite a bit these days.

Last night as we were driving in front of a grocery store, Hayden cried out, "No! No! I don't want to!"

Keaton, Landon and I were the only ones in the car and we were all so shocked by Hayden's "drama king" outburst that I was forced to pull over and check on him.

"What are you screaming about?" I yelled back at him.

"I don't want one!" he shrieked even louder.

"Hayden, what are you talking about? I don't understand!" I insisted.

He squealed, "I don't want a flea shot!!"

Keaton whipped her head around to look at her brother in the back seat, "What did you just say?!" The gleam in her eye betraying her feigned concern as she probed her little brother, hoping against hope that she had heard him correctly.

"I don't want a flea shot!" he repeated, sobbing, pointing at the words painted on the grocery store window.

The Keaton laughter-explosion was deafening. She hooted, hollered and howled.

She could barely form the words, "It doesn't say flea shot, Hayden." She continued through sporadic unstoppable snorts, "It says flu shots!"

"Oh," he replied softly, his shoulders relaxing and his hands moving away from his tear-stained cheeks.

Not able to let this one go, Keaton continued, "Flea shots are for dogs, Hayden. Flu shots are for people. Are you a puppy?"

Hayden responded quite dejected, yet relieved at the prospect of no flea shot, "No, I'm not a puppy."

"Then it will be okay. I guess we could get you a flea collar if you really need something, though," she quipped, giggling for miles down the road.