On Manners

Me (at the park): "Max, do you want me to push you higher on the swing?"

Max: "No thank you Mommy, I'm fine, but thanks for asking"

On Co-Sleeping

Me: "Max, guess who is coming to visit?"

Max: "Who?"

Me: "Uncle Nick and Annabelle. They are going to stay with us and sleep downstairs"

Max: "But there is only one sleep bed downstairs"

Me: "I know. They are going to sleep in the bed together"

Max: "No. There's no room"

Happy Birthday Max

PThis is a very special day- Max's 4th birthday! It just so happened that his great grandpa Manny was being honoured today and, as he was the 1st person at the hospital after Max was born, I thought it was extra fitting that Max should be my date to the cocktail. Here are a few of the adorable things he said at the event:

Max (during the speeches, leaning in to whisper to me): "Mommy, are they going to call my name, or just adults?"

Max (to the photographer): "I'd like more pictures please!"

Photographer: "Ok, of just you, or you and mommy?"

Max: "No, of just me"

Guest at cocktail: "I hear it's your birthday today, how old are you?"

Max: "14"

Me: "Max! You are not turning 14"

Max (laughing): "No! I'm turning 5!"

Oh this little adorable joker...below a photo of him enjoying a salmon and roasted nut skewer, and glass of water

On Self-Confidance

Max really enjoys cooking with me, and so, since he's been a toddler, I've been putting him up on the kitchen counter with me and doing things like baking muffins. He likes to pour in the ingredients, help with the mixer and, of course, eat the chocolate chips!

Max (sitting on the counter): "Ok Mommy, I'm ready to get down now" (as he he lifts himself up on his arms and starts swinging his legs to jump down)
Me: "Ok, Max, I can help you get down"
Max: "It's ok Mommy, I can do it, I just need to believe in myself!"

On Choice

Max (to Pat and I): Ok. Listen. You have two choices (holding up his "stop" hand and mimicking adult behaviour) "The banana and chocolate or the vanilla"

Oh Henry

This would have been much better as a video, but my friend Lizzie and I were too busy trying to keep our sons, "best friends" Henry and Max from killing each other on the playground to whip out our iPhones  and start filming. When we weren't physically separating them or otherwise intervening, we were laughing at the ridiculousness of the situation. These boys spent almost every day of their early lives together ( they are just 3 days apart) as we lived across the park from one another. Lizzie and family moved to New York (Brooklyn) and we bought a house in the burbs. Max and Henry haven't seen each other in over a year, but we weren't expecting this...(excerpts of a variety of the inane things they screamed at each other yesterday):

Henry: "Let's run to the park"

Max: "I don't want to run, I want to walk"

Me: "Why don't you two hold hands and we'll get to the park together"

Henry: "I don't want to hold this slow pokes hand!"

Max: "I don't want to hold his hand either!"

At the park:

Henry (yelling at Max): YOU HAVE TO PLAY WiTH ME!"

Max (yelling back): "I AM SO ANGRY RIGHT NOW!"

Ensuing fight in which they threw sand at each other (lovely for us moms to witness and not embarrassing at all with the other kids and parents at the park)

Also at the park:

Henry: "Poo poo!"

Max: "Caca!"

Lizzie: "Henry doesn't know that word..."

This went on for almost an hour and involved various claims of who was first to arrive at a game, who was fastest, biggest, you name it, these 3 year olds fought over it! Lizzie and I did finally manage to broker a peace deal on the walk home after the boys did some hugging it out (although even at that, Max complained during the first hug that Henry was squeezing him too hard!) Now we just have to hope we can make it to Brooklyn one day and the boys will be able to make it through a weekend in peace... A Suivre

Oh the simplicity of friendship

Max: "Mommy, I made friends at preschool today!"

Me: "Oh that's great news Max!"

Max: "One little girl started talking to me and at first I was shy, but then I asked her if she had ice cream at her house and she said 'yes' and then we became best friends"

On Being Curious

Max: "Mommy, what's the difference between the train and the metro?"

Me: "The train goes above ground and the metro goes underground"

Max: "That's so awesome Mommy- you taught me something!"

On Being a Professional Procrastinator

Max (coming downstairs, when he should be up in bed, sleeping): "Mommy, I want to tell you something"

Me (thinking he is going to say "I love you", as he usually does): "What Max?"

Max: "Do you know that roads are made of asphalt?"

Me: "Ok Max that's it, up to bed for dodo right now"