Getting Cooler Every Day

Snow fell all Monday afternoon here in the Great White North, so that by early evening when it was time to collect Our Hero from chess club, it was looking very winter wonderland outside.  Julie decided to walk to get Joe so they could crunch their way home in the snow and look at holiday lights on the way.  She'd brought his boots along, so Joe threw his backpack down in the hallway and plopped down to put them on.  After he got up and had tossed his backpack over one shoulder, Julie asked if he'd like to put his backpack straps on both shoulders.  This is when she got schooled again in not framing something she wants to happen as a question and elementary school trend setting, because this is when Joe looked at her and with great solemnity said, "No.  The big kids don't do that and I want to be like the big kids."  At least he's not too cool to walk home with his mommy in a new fallen snow looking at holiday lights--yet.