We had a triple birthday party for M2, NG, and LJ two weeks ago but today is LJ's actual birthday. Four years old. We are going out to buy yellow balloons for the birthday boy and, later, I'll bake a chocolate cake. Because even if you've already had a party, you still have to have cake and balloons on your special day.

His gift is a new super hero cape. LJ specifically requested a yellow cape with a red lightning bolt because "lellow" is his favorite color right now. After opening his gift a bit ago, he said, "While you're driving, I'm gonna fly." 

A couple of days ago, I noticed some scratches on LJ. 

Me: "How did you get those scratches?"

LJ: "Maybe from a bear...when me and Dad went hunting last night." 

Conversations With LJ

M2 was having his mid-morning "nurnie" and LJ wanted me to do something. M2 pulled away for a moment and then decided he wasn't finished...
LJ: "He wants more! {sigh} This is gonna take a while."

Papa Bear brought home a bunch of flowers for me and they were on the kitchen table in a vase of water. A few days later, the hobbits noticed that they were drooping...
LJ: "Momma, your flowers are dying! You need to give 'em some soil."

We were driving past Dairy Queen...
LJ: "Are you going to get me some ice cream, Momma?"
Me: "Hmm..."
LJ: "Say yes, Momma. Just say yes. Say yes, Momma. I yike ice cream. Say yes, Momma."

LJ's favorite random words: "Butternut" & "Bourbon getty" {???}

Conversations With LJ

{LJ's bang trim, courtesy of IB}

While I was preparing to make breakfast this morning...

LJ: "I yike French toast! Where's the French?"

As I was preparing to make cornbread last week, I laid out the ingredients on the counter, including two eggs. They began to roll...

LJ, as he caught them: "Oh no. We don't want that to happen. That'll be bad."

Me: "Yes, it would make a big mess, wouldn't it? You would have to clean it up."

LJ: "Ewww! No! I can't do that. I'm not a Mom!"

We were driving recently and LJ was very chatty, talking about everything he saw.
LJ: "Oh! Oh! Did you see that truck?! I yike it! It's fritty!" {translation: pretty}

Conversations with LJ

This picture is from the end of summer but I couldn't resist sharing it and the story behind the red mark on his forehead. I don't think you could ever guess what he did to get it. It took quite a bit of questioning for me to figure it out. It is a friction burn. He turned his big wheel upside down, turned the pedal to get the wheel spinning really fast, and....leaned over and touched his head to it! This was one of the many times that I have asked my boys: "What were you thinking?"

My mom always includes a box of chocolate turtles (chocolate, caramel, & pecan candy) for any holiday gift-giving because she knows I love them. LJ was opening the box to get his 4th or 5th one...
Me: "You need to stop eating those now. They are going to make you sick."
LJ: "Then you need to put them somewhere else." {Smart boy.}

Conversations with LJ

This little boy never fails to make me smile everyday with the words that come out of his mouth.

LJ, upon trying green bean casserole, "I don't yike it. It's all swobbery."

I was preparing to make cookies and had all of the ingredients on the counter. LJ spotted the sugar and wanted to eat it straight from the canister.
Me: "No." (As he shoves a clump in his mouth.)
LJ: "Why? Is it good for me?"
Me: "No, it isn't."
LJ: "I yike it. Bugs yike it." (He's referring to the sugar bugs in his mouth.)
Me: "Yes, I know."
LJ: "They're having a party in my mouth."

Conversations with LJ

LJ is 3 1/2 years old and I love our conversations. I thought I should make a record of some of them to read when I need to smile. (Imagine them spoken in preschooler dialect with complete sincerity.)

LJ: "There's a eating dog outside."
Me: "An eating dog? Are you afraid it will eat you?"
LJ: "Yea."
Me: "Did someone tell you that?"
LJ: "Yea, IB." (7yo brother)

LJ: "I love you, Momma."
Me: "I love you more."
LJ: "Thank you."

To the random woman at WalMart who tried to touch M2 while he was sleeping in my sling: "Don't touch my baby!"

While admiring the above picture of his new haircut today: "I like getting rid of my hair."

His current affirmative response: "Of course I do."

To the father of a playmate, who he had never met before, when the man gave him an instruction: 
"I don't have to listen to you cuz my Dad's a cop."
Later, at home (after a discussion about the difference between good/bad strangers and obeying authority and being respectful):
Me: "Just because Daddy is a police officer doesn't make you any better than other people."
LJ: "Yes it does." (Followed by more discussion. *sigh*)