Joshua and the Blender

Joshua has developed a love-hate relationship with our blender.

I noticed it over this last year. When Joshua would unload the dishwasher, there were a lot of things that he just didn't put away. I took it as he either wasn't sure where those things went...or he couldn't reach the shelf where they were supposed to go.

It didn't cross my mind that he was not putting them away...on purpose.

That he was trying to convey a deeper message.

The little stinker.

The boys noticed it first. Because Joshua would leave glasses and bowls out on the counter, but not JUST on the counter. He would stack them ON and AROUND the blender.

One day, I came into our kitchen, and saw that Joshua had built a little "fort" or "wall" around our blender, with the glasses and dishes he'd taken out of the dishwasher.

WHAT IN THE WORLD?

Finally, after intentional observations, and talks with Joshua, we have figured out that he does not like it when Clark makes smoothies. I don't know if it's Clark getting all the things together for his smoothie, talking about what he's going to put into his smoothie, and then actually loading those things into the blender...because that process would drive the Pope to drink. It's quite long, and Clark is typically quite animated...and the boy can talk the ears off a billy-goat (even if the billy-goat is not in the room)!

We also thought that maybe Joshua just doesn't like the noise the blender makes...because it IS loud...and he doesn't really like loud noises.

Whatever...he hates our blender.

HATES. IT.

One day, I asked Clark to offer Joshua a small glass of his smoothie...thinking that if Joshua could taste it, and see the yummy goodness that comes from the blender, it might change his behavior. Joshua drank it, and he LOVED it. He said, "I don't know why I don't like the blender...this is GOOD!"

So, I thought we were over it. Typically, if we call Joshua out on a behavior like this, he will see how silly it is...and stop it. And he DID stop it...for a bit.

But then, yesterday morning, there was another barricade in front of the blender...and Clark.had.had.enough.

There were words between them. Joshua saying something about the blender...and Clark saying something about how the dishes Joshua was stacking in front of the blender, were the same dishes I had used to make his dinner the night before.

I didn't go in there...sometimes it's just best to let them hash it out.

Plus, Momma is tired. And old.

I heard the sound of Crocs stomping upstairs, and I knew Joshua was mad.

When I came back into the kitchen, Clark had taken all the dishes that Joshua had stacked in front of the blender...and stacked them ALL on Joshua's place-mat at the table.

(sigh)

Joshua's head about blew off.

Around lunch time, we decided to go over to Holly's, and help out with the baby. Clark got into the car with a large glass of smoothie. He said, "will you hold this for 2 seconds?" Well, I asked Joshua if he wanted to try it, and he said, "yes." And then he proceeded to drink SEVERAL big gulps of it before Clark got back in the car.

He wrote this comment on Facebook, "I might be a blender disliker user, but having a drink of a smoothie is can not be denied."

"Behold, how good and pleasant it is when brothers dwell in unity!" Psalm 133:1