Where there's a will, there's a way

Yesterday was an early-release day for the kids. They got home about two hours earlier than they normally do. Much to our surprise, it was slow at the office (a first, ever, I think) so Jared's manager sent him home at 4pm--three hours early! He was actually on his sixth day of seven straight shifts, all but two of them being 12 hours each (not counting the additional two hour commute). It turned out to be a fun Early Release day for everyone!! :)

Later that evening, Jared and I were hanging out on our bed talking, not long before it would be time to put the little ones down for the night, enjoying the fact that he was home at an earlier hour.

JJ appeared in our doorway and in his cute little boy voice and speech said quickly, "Hey guys, let's do a game. I go upstairs, you downstairs, you sleep and turn light off. Okay?" We didn't respond immediately because we were trying to make sure we understood. "You want us to stay here and sleep?" I asked. "Yes.And turn off light." Then he added, "Pleeease?"

So we said okay. JJ cheered then ran out of the room. We laid down, Jared turned off the light and when Jared heard JJ coming, he told me to pretend to be asleep. I shut my eyes but opened them just a tiny bit so I could make out where JJ was. He was walking across the room toward my side of the bed, so I shut my eyes completely. He stood there for a good minute. He was quiet and I could only sense that he was there, not that he was moving or anything. I half expected him to pounce on me and I suppressed a laugh, as I anticipated this. I finally heard him tip-toe away and when he was close to the door, he ran.

Jared and I both opened our eyes, chuckling at our silly boy and his silly game. Then Jared asked, "Did he take something?" I whipped my head to my nightstand, let out a gasp and whipped my head back to Jared and exclaimed, "My kindle!!!"

That little, sneaky thief!! Jared and I stared at each other in mock horror as realization struck. Jared unnecessarily declared, "We.were.conned!!!!" By a 4-year-old!!! That little stinker had devised an elaborate plan to sneak the kindle literally out from under our noses. And he did it!!! JJ set us up and we totally fell for it!! We roared in laughter--half impressed, half terrified by the way his brain was working--until tears ran down our cheeks. Once we got ourselves under control, Jared said, "I'm almost tempted to let him keep the kindle with an execution like that!"

JJ came back downstairs a few minutes later. He jumped right inside the doorway and was puffed up with pride as he excitedly announced, with his hands extended up over his head in triumph, "It worked!!!" Not only did he come up with a plan to get my kindle, he executed it flawlessly. He knew it and now he was celebrating his victory! Right in front of us.

JJ entered our room, stood in front of our bed and explained that the kindle was in his drawer with his socks (good to know for future reference) and ran off to get it. This little incident has the name "Calvin" written all over it. But, surprisingly enough Calvin was nowhere near JJ when this operation went down. We feared the worst...JJ was working alone!

JJ actually brought the kindle back. After he returned it, JJ held out his left hand and while ticking off one of his fingers as if he were reviewing a list of tasks, said, "Get kindle. Check!"

And then we lost it again. We could not stop laughing. Jared and I are in big, BIG trouble!