The Quotable Zach

Zach's going through a rough time right now. We're not sure what's going on, other than he's four, and that seems to be the age at which our children reveal their demonic tendencies.

Lately, he's been doing a lot of crying and screaming over just about nothing. Every once in a while, however, he says something in the throes of exhaustion that gives us insight into his strife, and yes, also makes us laugh.

One day last week, after a particularly active day of play, Zach was sitting reading an "I Spy" book with Chris. As he looked for each of the hidden objects, he was literally falling asleep, doing the bobbing head-jerk routine.

When I tried to get him to go to bed, the crying started. "I'm not tired!" he insisted. With tears streaming down his chubby little cheeks, I "guided" (Well, let's be honest. "Dragged" is a more accurate verb.) him upstairs to bed. As we're staggering up the first few stairs, he looks over the banister at Chris, Katie and Abby sitting in the living room and sobs (while making a sweeping gesture to the onlooking crowd),

"I...can't...be...tired... Everybody...else...is...not...tired!"