I busy!

My wife and are both workaholics. We  constantly check emails, Facebook, work docs, etc.  A typical day starts by waking up, bathroom, start the coffee, check email, Facebook, Nate gets up, sippy cup with milk, Sprout TV, email, some conversation, email, get ready for work, pack Nates lunch, email, she goes off to work, I take Nate to daycare, then back home to work all day which, of course, includes email, Facebook, phone calls, until 5pm when I pick Nate up, email, make dinner, email, Nate runs around and watches tv, plays with toys, email, wash dishes, Barb comes home and eats her dinner, email, Facebook, Nates bath, email, Nates bed time, book, song, email, Facebook, tv, email, Facebook, bed and the cycle starts over.  Through this Nate often wants our attention for a minute. Some times we say, "In a minute Nate, I'm busy at the moment."  Then, we do attend to him, but apparently he hears that phrase often.  The other day he start using it. "Nate, it's dinner time."

"I busy!"

"What?

"I busy!" He said while smashing his toy truck into the toy kitchen set. This of course made us laugh. I suppose this should be a red flag of not spending enough quality time with him. Or, as I prefer to think of it, he's learning a strong work ethic which is much better than a parent that dotes on his childs every whim. Of course, I could be wrong. I often am.

Either way, this has become a regular occurrence. At least once a day he says it. Sometimes it's cute. Sometimes it's not. Yesterday, while unpacking groceries, I asked him to pick up the bags I tossed on the floor. I like to un-bag everything onto the counters in loosely organized groups so I can see whats what and where to put it away. I find this saves time vs opening the refrigerator twenty times.

"Nate, can you pick up the bags?"

"I busy!" he said driving his toy dump truck over the bags.

"Yeah, I think you are busy picking up bags."

"No. I busy." He said trying to make an escape.

"One. Two..."

"I busy!" He said again as he dismounted his dump truck, picked up the bags and threw them in the trash.

"Thanks." I said patting his head.

He mounted his ride and drove into the living room.

Later, when we were making a fire together, Barb called him over for a hug. She though it was just too cute that a two and half year old was helping build a fire.

"I busy! I help daddy." He said and went to get another piece of wood for the fire. She sighed the sigh of mother sad her child is growing up to fast and took a photo. I'm she'll email and Facebook it later.