You're HOW old, again?

And so it starts:

The other day we were talking about plans for the month of April, and I turned to my youngest son, who is celebrating his sixth birthday in April, and asked him, "What do you want to do for your birthday?"
Without missing a beat, he replies, "A party. And I want GIRLS to be there, Mom."

***

Our middle son recently got KU-blue highlights in his hair. He's been wanting to do this for months now. Galen's and my philosophy in this realm is rather relaxed. "So long as you're clean and covered, we're happy." So, during Spring Break, off we went to my hair-person, Lou, and she did a great job. As we walk in the door coming home from the appointment, my oldest son immediately starts in on teasing and chiding his younger brother about his hair, expecting a rise out of him. AJ very calmly waits for a break in Kagen's ramble, and says almost under his breath, "Well, the girls dig me no matter what my hair looks like."
Kagen hasn't made mention of AJ's hair since.

***

This last one isn't funny, so much as it was odd, and I feel compelled to share it.
About a month ago, Kagen went to a Christian concert with our church's youth group, and got home rather late at night. An hour after he came home and we all went to bed, the phone rang. Thinking it was someone from church, informing us of a wallet or MP3 player Kagen had left behind or something, I answered the phone.
It was a girl I didn't recognize, asking for Kagen.
Still trying to rise out of my sleep-induced stupor, I told his cute young thing very politely, "Kagen is not available right now. Can you call back *in the morning*?" We exchanged good-byes and I hung up. I'm just a cool Mom that way.
It wasn't until I plopped myself back in bed that it really hit me what had just happened. Not only had a GIRL called... but called at 1:00am to talk with my son about something. What the flip? Is she SERIOUS?
My musings were short-lived, as that a mere fifteen minutes later, the phone rang again.
The time for coolness is over.
I picked up the phone and said the following: "Darlin' it is one o'clock in the morning. People are sleeping in the world right now. Please do not call again until morning." And I hung up on her.
Yes, I told Kagen about it the next morning. He reacted with a decent mix of laughter and embarrassment. I got the distinct impression I had not beleagured a budding romance or anything. But my Cool Mom peg did slide down a notch or two.
Casualties of love and war, apparently.

***