If you’re trying to make me cry, son, you’ve picked a good week for it.

I.
Henry: Do you want to see my happy dance?
Me: Lay it on me, boy!

He holds up one arm like he’s Dracula hiding behind his cape, and then waves the other hand in the air, like he’s Dracula trying to get someone’s attention. At the same time, he sticks his tongue out and rolls his eyes comically, gets up on his toes, and twirls around and around and around. It is, for lack of a better word, spazzy. I clap and clap. Finally he slows down and then stops, panting.

Me: Don’t stop now!
Henry (shrugging): That’s all I have. I have no more dance left.

II.
Henry (eyes filled with tears): My Stormtrooper is lost.
Me (rummaging through one of 10,000 piles): I know it's here somewhere.
Henry (lower lip quivering): No. It’s gone. And there will be no Christmas.
Me: No Christmas? Don’t say it!
Henry (voice cracking): And Santa won’t come. And there will be no presents.
Me (also beginning to choke up): But why?
Henry (casually): Because it’s not time yet.

Comments

[marshatm]

Alas, we have no stormtroopers in our house.

However, while in line at Starbucks today my nine-year old daughter remarked, "I always know Christmas is coming when Starbucks puts out their 'Holiday Blend.'

[kim]

The good thing about ads on finslippy is: more posts! So happy about that!

[Mir]

Oh, Henry! You are a wee, pint-sized maelstrom of complex reasoning!

[Sassy]

I LOVE the happy dance!

[Nothing But Bonfires]

I just had to perform the happy dance step by step at my computer to get a better picture of it. It's almost Shakira-ish in its complexity! But my cat had a good laugh.

[buffi]

Wow. He's goooooood!

[Belinda]

Henry, Oh, Henry. Not O.Henry, the writer, or O'Henry the candy bar. You know who I mean! What a guy.

[jill]

the line "i have no more dance left" is priceless... he is a very deep young man.

[Colin Brooks]

hi, I think this is of the sweetest entries I've read in a while!

The new photo at the top left corner might have a lot to do with that.

Thanks, I think you made my day! Both of you.

[ozma]

That's some comic timing the boy has there. There are several ongoing studies to see when children learn irony and sarcasm. I think Henry might make it in to the refereed journal paper at the very least...."Subject 114 appeared to play with concepts and intonation in an almost absurdist way. Other children in his peer group only said 'Santa! coming!'"

Is it sincere? Or is he messing with you? If he's messing with you, that's both frightening and very impressive.

[roo]

Please give my thanks to Henry for his happy dance. It worked like a charm.

[Carol]

Henry is such a gift to you. Drink every minute in.

p.s. I cry all the time. No worries. I think that's what we are supposed to do.

[Jenny]

Man, Henry is good. The lack of stormtroopers makes the Baby Jesus weep.

[Angel]

Thank goodness for the humor of small boys :)

[Eulallia]

Well, now we all know NEVER to joke about Christmas with Alice. It's like me and Groundhog Day. Don't mess with the 'hog.

[DM]

I think "I have no more dance left" is going to be my favorite line. Well, until Henry comes up with something else. Your child, he is brilliant. Not really surprised by that, considering his parents.

[lis]

Wait? No dance left? Does Henry need a remix? This is a travesty.

[Em]

The "but why?" killed me. KILLED ME!

[Kat]

Maybe Henry will get some more dance from Santa, when it's time and all...

[Elizabeth]

No dance left? Perhaps he should start watching"Ballroom Bootcamp" for inspiration.

[kelly]

Henry, the Mommy Slayer

He's already developing a fine understanding of the *white boy shuffle,* truly my most favorite dance, ever.

[Jessie]

That sounds like quite a happy dance. The visual from your discription made people look at me funny because I was laughing and apparently you're not supposed to laugh at work.

[liz]

Aaahhhhh! The cuteness has killed me. I love that boy.

[Torrie]

I think it's time Henry had his own reality show.

[Carrie]

So sweet. And that picture up top is about the cutest thing I have seen.

[MFA Mama]

Man, I'd love to get Henry, Julia's Patrick, and my Big Child together for a "Blog Kids" play date. The things the three of them would come up with...

[reenie]

You crack my shit up...like Dracula trying to get someone's attention!? And, But why? Gah...I'm lying dead on the floor from the funnies.

[Candice]

Kids are so much deeper,and full of wonderful spontanaity than us boring adults.

[Alexa]

Did he say "Psych!" afterwards? Perhaps you will have to explain to him that he shouldn't play with Mommy's mind whilst Mommy is withdrawing from psychotropic medication...

[Persephone Basilissa]

I thought of Henry today when a little boy left his Darth Vader action figure at Wendy's. His mom came back frantic, saying that the child was sobbing. Fortunately, we had put Vader in a safe place, and he was returned to the relieved little boy.

[Misty]

Thank god nobody was in the office! That made me laugh like a lunatic!! My daughter told me the other day that she doesn't trust Santa because all that crap she got last year!?!?!? She didn't ask for that... in fact, she "didn't even know it was available". Every time we see a toy aisle we search for new Littlest Pet Shop Pets and yet all the ones she got last Christmas have caused her to distrust Santa. I give up! Henry is TOO FUNNY!! Get that kid a band and take him on the road!

[kate]

(recently found your blog via dooce and am now stalking your backentries)

henry is so charming! :)