You are not wise

We are driving home from REI after picking up my bicycle. It is rush hour. We have cleverly bypassed much traffic, but alas, not the sun. The sun is beaming down, angled, as if by divine design, directly into our eyes. I take this moment to impart some wisdom to Espen.

"We can just squint our eyes or look in the other direction if we don't want the sun in them."

"Why?" Espen is ever interested in howtos and wherefores.

"It's just something wise people do."

He doesn't miss a beat.

"You are not wise."

Pause.

"Really?" Stall for time. Stall. Stall.

"Yes. Only Poppa is wise."

"Um. Ok. Well, listen to this for a minute." (Listen to what? I have nothing to say, yet the brain wings bravely forward.) Tobias and I share a meaningful glance.

Espen is not finished.

"I don't listen to you. Only Poppa."

Of course I did what any self-preserving parent would. I got Poppa on speaker phone, pronto.

"Hi, Dad."

"Hi, Jaim, What's going on?"

"Espen says you're the only one he will listen to."

-chuckles erupt from the speaker-

"Oh did he?" The glee is unmistakable.

"In fact, he did. Can you please tell him to listen to his parents?"

Meanwhile, in the back, Espen is bouncing in his car seat, chanting, "Hi Poppa, Hi Poppa, HI!"

-more chuckles-

"Will we see you soon, Espen?"

"Dad."

Espen grins and nods wildly.

Cahoots. Pure. Wild. Unstoppable.

And I'm thinking, "God made two of them."

"Alright, Dad. we'll see you."

"Poppa!!!" Espen hollers.

"I love you Espen!" Poppa rejoins.

Espen cackled happily. Fortunately we arrived home shortly thereafter, with one thing clear.

Our child is developing startling powers of declaration.