The 3 Year Old Goth

My sister, Cicely, has this awesome tradition ofinterviewing her kids each year for their birthday. I tried it with Holden thisyear – just days after his third birthday (February 1.)  Yes, I'm REALLY behind on blog posts. As I recall we went on a Disney Cruise a year ago and I still have yet to write about it...

In the Utah Honeysuckle at our house

Any-who, before I get to the interview I just want to point out someof the things I really love about this kid… he gets sarcasm and irony. (Maybe that’s not something to be proud of, but between Danny and me, it’s needed for survival round these parts). He loves playing outside in the dirt, going to parks, rides at amusement parks, looking at and playing with animals, dinosaursand making friends.

He’s always introducing himself to strangers: “Hi, I’m Holden!”  Often followed by “That’s mymommy.” He refers to children he likes as “my kids” and if they are extraspecial to him, they get crowned “cousins.” I guess that speaks highly for hisreal cousins, because he really loves those people.

He helps me set the table.

He’s adorable with Zoe. “I think shers likes me!” (Shers of course is a cross between she and her = shers. Grammar is hard.)

He has super big emotions. He’s much more likely to cry fromhaving his feelings hurt (having to leave an activity before he’s ready) than falling off a rock wall (yes, both have happened… ah experience, the greatest teacher.)

He’s interested in good and bad. For instance, today at the Zoo he said “Mom are lions bad guys?”

“No, I replied, just misunderstood.” We find ourselvesusing that phrase a lot – to describe dinosaurs, and spiders, bees and monsters, et cetera, et cetera.

“Mom, is everything just misunderstood?” I paused, thinking that there was a lot more depth to this question than either of us could reallycomprehend.

“Yes, pretty much.” I responded.

Anyway, I love his questions – his mind, his delight in the world around. I love that he still asks to be held and there are few things that can’t be solved with a lovey, a kiss and perhaps milk in a sippy cup.(Funny fact – if you want to have a drink at my house, your options are pretty much a sippy cup or stemware. And yes, he uses both).

OK so back to the interview, a couple of things I noticedtranscribing the interview from my trusty iPhone mic: he pronounces “presents”as ‘peasants’ and the interview turned a bit gothic towards the end. I don’t particularly remember listening to The Cure that much whilst Holden was en utero, but it could always be a contributing factor.

Enjoy!

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With Cyclops at Universal Studios in Orlando 4/30/12

Me: Ok, how old are you?

Holden: Fee (three).

What’s your favorite show?

Transformers.

And what’s your favorite toy?

Some transformer toys.

Oh, ok. And tell me who’s in your family.

Um…. Anne!

Anne?

Yeah!

And who else?

And…..Thunderpants!

K.

We’re, were be superheroes.Here’s some superhero p-peasants to open.

Me: OK, and who’s your favorite superhero?

Ironman

Happiest Little Sister in the World - on the place to MCO 4/28/12

Me: What’s the name of your sister?

Zoë

What’s Zoë’s whole name?

Zoë Seet Mangum(suite)

Whats your whole name?

Holden Dan, Seet Mangum

(I laugh out loud at his confusion, for the record he’sHolden Daniel Mangum.)

And what are you thinking about?

I’m thinking about monsters

Ok is there anything you’re afraid of?

I’m fraid of dying inStarbursts caves.

OK, anything else you want to tell me on your birthday –around your birthday?

I did open thepeasants and there’s a bad thing to sleep with.

THE END

Bruce Banner (aka THE HULK) at Universal Studios 4/30/12