When I'm five...

The other night at dinner, Charlie began to volunteer random details about what's going to happen when he turns five. I don't think he quite realizes that this is happening in only two months!

Anyway, after his list began to get longer, Madi shouted, "Mommy!  You need to write this down so he will remember what he said!"  She, too, knew that his good intentions might be bigger than he can grasp.

It started like this.

"When I five, I'm guzzin to be patient." (side note: he meant "going to"...I would've corrected him, but I was way too interested to hear what he had to say.)

"Oh really," I replied. "What else are you going to do when you turn five?"

"I guzzin to eat lettuce."

"And I'm guzzing to eat green light foods and drinks."

"And I won't hit myself." (sigh)

"And I guzzin to help!"

"I'm guzzin to vacuum da house."

"I guzzin to say peeze and thank you."

"I guzzin to pull people's chairs out for dem."

"And I'm not guzzin to suck my fingers."

(That's the point at which Madi instinctively knew this conversation must be properly documented.)

"And I not guzzin to ask why."

Whoa. What?

I instantly remembered that, earlier in the week, he and his best buddy had a little argument. Basically, his best friend was sent into a tailspin of tears because Charlie was relentlessly asking him "why?" I completely understand how that could happen...especially when two almost-five year olds are involved. It obviously affected Charlie to the point that he figured he shouldn't ask the question why anymore.

Mama put a quick stop to that thought.

"But Charlie," I explained, "We want you to ask why. Because when you ask why, that means your little brain is thinking. We don't ever want you to stop asking why! Ever!"

I could almost feel his intense relief.  So we scratched that one off the list.

"And I not guzzin to ask why."

..."I'm guzzin to be patient."

He ended with the same one he started with. At least he's consistent.

So there it is. All documented here on our bloggy blog. We will be sure to bring this post to his attention on or after September 16th whenever necessary. Especially when those two middle fingers gravitate to his mouth like magnets. If he delivers on the patience thing, that would be a bonus of ginormous proportions.