Maybe Isaac has a brilliant future as a theatrical or film director. He’s been setting up brief skits for us to perform, and then making us carry them out according to his rigid expectations. If we are not evocative enough, or don’t do it with enough gusto, he’s quick to correct. We have to stand in certain places and he’ll reposition us as needed. Each one requires hundreds of takes. Here’s a sampling:
“Runaway Boy”
Daddy stands near the sandbox beside our house, neither too far nor too near to the yard. Isaac runs off around the corner. Daddy yells, “Wait! wait!” Isaac keeps running. If Daddy loses interest, Isaac will come back and admonish him, saying, “Yell ‘wait, wait!'” and try again. Isaac stays gone a few minutes. During that time, Daddy must “be sad.” He must weep and wail. If he’s not sad enough, Isaac will peek his head around the corner and say, “No, no Daddy. Be SAD. Be SAD.” (Sometimes Daddy pretends that he misunderstood and instead acts out, “Be glad.” or “Be mad.” This irritates Isaac no end.) Once the sadness is adequate, Isaac makes his triumphant return, running around the corner and with a tad-dah look on his face to general applause and adoration.
“Lost boy”
Mama sits on the toilet seat in the guest bath. Isaac hides in the (glass, transparent) shower stall. Mama must weep and wail over the lost boy. Isaac will occasionally peek his head out with tips: “Say, ‘Where’s my little boy?'” and then hide again. Mama cries, “My little boy! Where has he gone?? Where’s my little boy? I’m so worried!” etc. Then Isaac sneaks out of the shower with a sheepish grin. Mama hugs him and kisses him and says, “Oh! He came back! I’m so happy!” etc.
(Similar scenarios are played out in closets, under napkins, etc., throughout the house and grounds.)
“Catch the beetle”
While bathing, Isaac takes a wash cloth and swishes it in the bathtub. He says it’s a beetle and very fast. Mama must try to catch it, but always fails.
“Where’s the red car?”
Isaac hides a little red car in his plastic Fisher-Price parking ramp (from the toy library and sadly/happily to be returned soon). He always hides it behind a certain garage door. Mama looks in the elevator, no it’s not there. Under the ramp? No… Inside here? No… etc. until all possibilities are more than exhausted. Then Isaac reveals the car behind its little garage door. Mama is stunned.
“I want to nurse!” Part 1
Isaac picks up a doll and brings it to Mama. “That’s Mama,” he says, to clarify. Mama holds the doll while Isaac gets a little boy doll. He bring the little boy doll up to the Mama doll rather confrontationally. The little boy doll says, “I want to nurse!” Then the Mama doll says, “It’s not nursing time!” The little boy doll says, “It IS nursing time!” and a dispute continues.
“I want to nurse!” part 2
Isaac positions himself at one end of a playground communication system (something like a pipe between two speaking holes, a little ways apart), and Mama at the other. A brief conversation ensues, along the lines of “How are you today? Do you want to be my friend?” etc. Then Isaac yells (an interesting effect, coming through the pipe) “I need to nurse!” Mama yells back “It’s not nursing time!” A dispute continues, long distance.