Occasionally the gravitational pull of the earth affects Caden-2yr differently than it affects all other objects and people on the planet. Yes, really.
Usually this happens when he doesn’t want to be in his seat eating dinner. It’s convenient that way.
Last night, it was at Taco Bueno. I was there with the 3 boys when gravity freaked out on him again. It’s fascinating to watch, really. Very slowly, he is pulled across the room - backwards - as if the far wall is sucking him slowly against his will. His arms come forward, his eyes are bewildered, and it’s as if an invisible string between his shoulder blades is slowly but firmly pulling him. He continues in this until he’s plastered against the wall that has magnetically pulled at him. then gravity returns to normal and he walks back to where we are, shaking his head like, "wow. that was weird."
He’s a weird kid. It’s one thing when this happens at home. It’s never happened in public before, and it caused a great stir for a toddler to suddenly become ‘involuntarily’ drawn (in slow motion) backwards to become a flattened splat against the wall next to the trash cans. Alarmed taco eaters looked back and forth from me to Caden-2yr, as I had to repeatedly say, ‘it’s ok. he’s fine.’
it’s an oddly convincing routine he has, and the patrons of taco bueno were totally freaked on his behalf. i just pasted on a smile and waited and nodded until the inevitable splat on the wall occurred - the moment when gravity becomes predictable again. everyone relaxed then and went back to their meals.
well. i hope so. i was too busy avoiding any eye contact to know if they relaxed, or if they were unnerved and hoping the Freak Family with the gravity defying toddler were going to leave soon. which we did.
he’s been reacting predictably with the earth’s gravitational pull ever since, but lunch time is coming up, so who knows how long this will last. i think we’ll eat in.
11:17 am
That’s too funny. Where did he ever pick up on doing something like that?
11:20 am
no idea, susanne. it’s the kind of thing that makes me wonder what’s next, and not in a good way.
12:43 pm
Hmm. Interesting. Is it only during Mexican food?
You should film it sometime if you can.
1:17 pm
Having witnessed this phenonmenon, I have to tell you all my favorite part. He’s walking backwards, pulled by some weird force ‘against his will’ to the far wall. The whole time he’s occasionally looking back over his shoulder to make sure he doesn’t bump into anything and saying, “Oh no. Uh oh. Oh no, ” in a very unconvincing take on the whole B-movie horror flick protest when something bad happens. I repeat, it is NOT convincing. He even grins a little. And then he splats against the wall and comes back to the table. When I asked him if gravity was acting all funny today he just nodded in agreement. That must be it.
1:19 pm
Clarification: his magnetically pulled to the far wall routine is very convincing. His hilariously unemotional little patter that goes with it (uh oh, oh no, etc.) is what’s lacking any genuine feeling. It does add something to the whole performance though.
3:19 pm
It’s amazing the talents we are given isn’t it?
4:55 pm
Ooooo, you’re a Taco Bueno fan? I love you more everday.
7:00 pm
Weirdly hilarious….I can picture it all. He sounds like he’s full of it! lol
I was like that as a kid too (full of it) ….if something got people laughing, I would continue it or repeat it as often as I could get away with it.
Of course, I grew out of it…..*ahem*
;’)
7:02 pm
So you’ve got one kid who’s too smart to watch the Discovery channel, and another who defies gravity. You must wonder what super-human trait the third one will develop, huh?
It sounds like a very cute gravity-defying phenomenon. And quite original too! 
8:55 pm
We’ve just given up dining out, and rely heavily on the drive-through window. But, last night we went out to eat to celebrate #2 child’s birthday, and when we pulled into a parking space, the two oldest asked incredulously, “You mean we’re really going in?”
You’re a brave woman. Bring some music with you next time as a soundtrack for his performance:)
D2
9:32 pm
OK, I am still laughing. I can’t think of a more enjoyable post I’ve read in weeks!
Although… wouldn’t this be when centrifical force gets out of hand? Like the spinning of the world is pulling him to the wall? Gravity would pin him to the floor - which would be about as hilarous, now that I think of it…
My T13 is up.
9:53 pm
Tell me you’ve gotten it on tape. You might need to post a video clip for our viewing pleasure. We all want to see the gravity defying kid in action.
Hilarious!
10:23 pm
Just one question. Do you live near any nuclear testing facilities?
The only weird stuff I could manage as a kid was I walked backwards for two years before going forwards.
10:55 pm
I can’t believe that you went to lunch alone with 3 kids. That part is amazing!
6:57 pm
Sounds like he keeps you guessing! What a funny thing for him to do. I wish I could have seen the look on everyone’s faces when it happened : )
I posted some good news on my blog today, stop by if you get a chance!
2:55 am
Well — it could be worse — it could be a temper tantrum where he runs through the restaurant flinging food at every one in sight.
I’m just saying!