David and I were hanging out the other day playing bad guys, and I told him I wanted to be the Bloody Red Baron. . . thus setting off an obsession. Since then we have:

watched the Guardsmen sing "Snoopy vs. the Red Baron" via the miracle of youtube

watched Snoopy vs. the Red Baron on youtube (just once though)

printed out the lyrics and sung the song loud, soft, between bites, before bedtime, in other words, constantly

ordered, picked up and read over and over the Schultz comic book "Snoopy vs. The Red Baron." The kids find it hilarious. I was never a huge Peanuts fan, but it makes me happy his humor translates. The facial expressions are particularly good. I was amazed at the diction. With words like Sopwith Camel, coupez, and Focker triplane, who exactly was his audience? David and I go around shaking our fist in the air and saying "Curse you Red Baron!"

ordered, picked up, and looked at the pictures in a pictorial history of the Baron geared to adults. The picture of the Canadian, French, and British soldiers paying their respects to the dead Baron engendered an interesting conversation on the nature of bad guy. I know kids think in black and white at this age, but I still tried to explain how A. whether you were a bad guy or not depended on your perspective. The Germans thought he was pretty darn cool. And B. you could still respect your enemies even as you tried to kill them. David actually explained concept A to John the next day, so maybe I planted a seed.

looked at a Focker triplane at the airplane museum. This wasn't particularly out of the ordinary since John and David go the airplane museum almost every week, but they took particular note of the plane.

built a Focker triplane out of legos. I get no credit for this. John did it all. I could not believe it. There were the three levels. There were the red and white crosses on the wings. It just brought those black and white photos to life.

considered/decided for sure he would be the Bloody Red Baron for Halloween. John is considering it. David is very excited about taking on the role himself. He's going to wear his swimming goggles, put on a scarf. Now all he needs is a WWI leather flying helmet. Ideas anyone?

played Snoopy vs. The Red Baron in the bathtub. I was Snoopy and David was the Red Baron. He shot me down every time. Curse you Red Baron!