Stencil Bear and Willaum

This is a detail of a larger panel in what is apparently a graphic novel N is putting together:

A squirrel named Willaum, "ooooh nut!s." Here's the whole page:

I must tell you (in accordance with "The Truth in Silly-Ass Blogs Act" or SABA) that the smiley moon and stars and teddy-bear guy are not original, a stencil was used.

Just to give you a lot more information than you will ever need about this picture I'll use my decoder ring.  Near the top is what I can only guess is The Stork (remember the drunken one from Looney Tunes?) saying "babeys are caming" (babies are coming).  Stencil Bear is saying "Wee!  I am having to much fun."  He seems like a happy little recovering Dead-Head. 

To the left of Stencil Bear is an ancient and sadly stunted oak tree where most of the action is taking place.  A bird's nest near the top whose occupant seems to scream at The Stork, "I am laing aggs here!" (I've got her doing it in a screechy Edith Bunker sort of voice).  Now it took me a while to figure this part out, but, what I think is going on here is a voice, presumably the squirrel below's mother, is calling him:  "Time to come inside Willaum."  'Willaum' is the forest-creature dialect spelling of William, of course.  They must live in that hole and his mother uses his whole name because there are no nicknames in the forest.

I can't help but chuckle at "ooh nuts."  I am like that and so is N. We tend to let bright and shiny things, food, pretty girls and trucks, just to name a few, quickly distract us.  I also notice that N often has the narrative of a story circling through his head as I do.  The genetics thing is sort of creepy sometimes.

On the other hand Z is remarkably task oriented.  Yesterday he sort of sniffled and sobbed for a half hour when he couldn't win all the races in a Mariokart cup he needed to open a new level.  It was sad, and, frankly kinda cute.  Children have an earnestness I didn't know until I had my own children, or, as I have mentioned before and is more likely, I had  forgotten.  I am not at all sure what's going on in Z's head.

I really do want to know what is going on in their minds.  Truly not because I think they are thinking things malicious or unsavory, in fact, precisely the opposite.  Their thoughts and dreams seem so pure to me, so honest and hopeful, so happy and silly, so sacred and simple, so genuine, that my own thoughts and dreams pale in comparison, tepid and ordinary.  I need to think more like my sons, I think it would make me a better person.

A very recent '...things you don't expect to hear from the backseat...' from Marci:

M: “Bill, remind me to tell you something when they are out of ear-shot.”
N: “We’re going to a beer shop?”

A beer shop?  Really... when has he ever heard of a beer shop?  Ohh, right...