The Weatherman

Urban started talking when he was about 6 months old.  It sounds ridiculous, but it's true.  He said kitty (we have 3), ball and bus and lots of nonsense garble in between.  The kid has had a lot to say from day one.  And, I promise you, he has not shut up since.

One thing he talks about a lot is the weather.  He always has an eye on the sky, and we get a running report of whatever he sees.  We try to give him as much information as we can about weather and how it works –   what makes snow, where hail comes from, why rainbows happen – anything and everything he might wonder about.  He has gotten to the point where he sits and watches the weather reports on television, which can be a little nerve-wracking lately with all of the severe weather we have been having, but kinda cool nonetheless.

This past winter, Urban informed me that he likes it when it's cloudy because it means it will be warmer.  That's true.  The clouds help keep what little heat we might have from escaping back into the atmosphere.  "But," he says, "they have to be cumulous clouds, not cirrus clouds.  Because those are too high and wispy."  Right.

But these days, when the weather has has turned warmer, there is a direct line in Urban's mind to The Splash Pad.  He is definitely my warm weather kid.  (He also informed us this winter he wants to move to the desert.  "At least it doesn't snow there," was his reasoning.)  He now insists on watching the news every night before supper to check to see how many splash pad days there will be in the coming 7.  He listens intently to Sven Sundgaard explain the daily highs and lows, whether there will be cloud cover or sun, and if there is a chance of stormy weather.  Then he looks at me very seriously while walking over to the TV screen, points at the weekly projection and says, "See, Mama, 2 days of splash pad, then 2 days of rain, then 3 days of splash pad."

"Right." I agree, thinking to myself about all the other things I have to do that don't involve running through community sprinklers, but this is his life right now.  He starts school in a month, so he should take advantage of his splash pad time while he can.

"So, Urban," I say, "are you going to be a weather man when you grow up?"

He thinks for a moment and says, "Yes.  And a foot doctor and a girl."

That's my boy.