The Wisdom of Four Year Olds

At four years old, Cole seems wise beyond his years. He can tell you Saturn is his favorite planet, the birds flying overhead are vultures, and he wants three more crackers so he'll have five. So I'm always surprised by the little things that remind me he is only four.

Last night, for example. As we snuggled in his bed before lights out, he asked how old I was. We talked about the ages of people we know and I told him that sometimes people live to be 100 years old.

He looked at me with wide eyes and asked, "Where do they live?"

I told him that it usually depends on their health and that there are special places they can live where people take care of them.

"Can we meet someone who is 100 years old?" he asked, with true reverence in his voice.

"Sure," I replied. "We can visit a nursing home and bring some of your drawings."

"How big is it?"

"What do you mean?"

"How do they fit in the building?"

Suddenly, I realized he didn't know that people stop growing.

I imagined a group of elderly people as tall as redwoods in rocking chairs on a gigantic front porch. Instead of seeing them as society does, with the useful part of their lives over, I saw them as Cole did--strong and powerful, worthy of our awe.

Sometimes I hate introducing him to reality.

More Anatomy Lessons

Oh, the joys of young kids discovering their bodies! Our household's recent anatomy lessons continue...

This morning, Jay insisted on taking off his diaper and applying Desitin himself. (Pick your battles, right?!) As he was doing "my job," he said, very clearly, "Dis my poopie hole." Potty training is going to be interesting with this one.

And yesterday, Cole complained his tummy hurt. When I asked where it hurt, he said, "I think it is my uterus." Clearly a small detail of our previous discussion didn't quite sink in. Either that or he doesn't believe that boys can't have babies. My dear Cole, as sick as I was carrying you, I really wish boys had uteruses and daddy could have done the job.

My Two 35-Pound Writer’s Blocks

The babysitter took the kids out for the morning, so I decided to resurrect an article that a magazine editor was interested in before Jay was born. I reread my query letter and our e-mail exchange, and took a stab at the first few paragraphs. Then these thoughts started banging around my head:

Maybe I should go to the library to do some research…The boys’ books are overdue anyway…Where is the one about a fire truck? I don’t remember seeing it lately...I need to remember that I volunteered to walk with Cole’s class to the fire station on Friday…I also need to bring the checkbook to pay for next month’s tuition…If the babysitter can’t come on Friday, I’ll have to take Jay along…Should I bring the stroller?...Cole will probably end up riding in it while Jay runs around with everyone…

It’s getting close to lunchtime…When are they going to get home?…What do we have besides hot dogs for lunch?…I should tell the babysitter to cut up some fruit. They haven’t had any fruit for a couple of days… Except apple juice… Does that count?... I think we are out of juice…I’ll have to go to the grocery store after the library…And what about dinner?...

As long as I am out I should look for those sun visors that go on the car’s windshield…Is there something to go on carseats so the buckles don’t get so hot?...Maybe Target has them…Or Wal-Mart…Wal-Mart is closer to the library and grocery store…And K-Mart is close by if Wal-Mart doesn’t have them…I can’t believe I looked in three stores that didn’t carry them yesterday… Where do people get them? I see them all the time...Maybe I should drive out to the new Super Wal-Mart…It’s farther away, but then I could get the sunshade and groceries at the same place…Kohl’s opened there too…Cole needs new shirts…He’s growing so fast…I need to sort through their clothes…and toys…

So, my attempt at some professional writing ended up as three errands, two chores, and a couple reminders.

The Facts of Life

Cole: Mommy, why do boys have penises and girls don't?

Me: Because girls' bodies have different parts so they can have babies when they are grown up.

Cole: Boys can't have babies?

Me: No, but they can be daddies. Would you like to be a daddy?

Cole: No.

Me: Not even when you are grown up?

Cole: No. I just like being me. I love me!

I love you too, little guy!

Chatterbox

Jay is talking up a storm! He even uses real sentences, in a foreign-speaker sort of way. I now realize that I sounded like a toddler when I studied in France.

Here is a list of my favorites:

• booch = boost (especially used at the play structure in Chick-fil-A, which means I have to contort myself into a kid-size twisty tube. This is the only time I wish he would grow faster.)


• boom boom = hammer


• mommy's hell0 = my phone


• wawie = water


• big wawie = waves at the beach


• ding ding = xylophone


• my job, = things he wants to do by himself


• Jay self, me self = doing things by himself (which lately is taking off his diaper)


• Chia = Katrina (a babysitter)
  

He also has wonderful multi-pitch ways of saying "okay," "yeah," and "wow." I love the tongue roll he uses for "l"s in words like "blue" and "balloon." And I miss the clicks he made with his tongue for "yes."

I'm sure I've missed a few classics, so I'll be updating this list periodically.