4 Year Old Deep Thoughts

When you live with kids, it important to not only have eyes in the back of your head, but also wear your listening ears at all times. If you do both of these things, you will not believe what you see and here! Our RL house is busy with not one, but TWO four year olds.

Most recently, when asking if she could have some green grapes at 8:30 pm last night, her dad replied, "No honey, wait until tomorrow and I'll wash some up for you." Her answer, "Whatever dad." and she walked away.

This morning bright and early, I am accompanying them downstairs while the rest of our house was still snuggled and sound asleep. This same perky gal says, "Wasn't it a good idea I had, Mommy, to notice it was morning already?"

Not to be outdone, her brother often has moments of profound thought as well. "I'm going to marry you when I grow up, Mommy." To which his sister replies, "You can't marry her, she is already married to daddy."

Both of them enjoy the adventures of SL as well, from the vantage point over one's shoulder. My daughter loves to examine my hair and critique its style. "Too short mommy, different hair, longer hair please." Or, if I abruptly become a brunette, she adamently declares, "That is Blissie hair mommy - change your's back." She is a favorite of dresses and pink. Did I mention she is all girl?


She has convinced her brother to play Barbies. Yes, he gets GI Joe or Ken. GI Joe definitely being the more "manly" of the two. But, she made the mistake just today of saying "Come on girls, everyone ready to go?" as they all hopped in the Barbie car. Then she corrected herself and said, "Oh sorry boys, boys too."

Letters define much of what we do these days. What is X for? Well, my son would say, beyond a doubt, "X stands for marking the spot, mommy." "S is for snapper." Have you had a snapper ever? It involves underwear wastebands, and giggling. Can't get much better than that as far as after-bathtime ritual.

4 year olds also make you believe you can draw anything. Just yesterday I was commissioned by my sweet boy to draw first, a whale for W, then a yak for Y. Ok... WHO the heck ever draws a Yak!?!?! Me of course :) He was quite complimentary of the Yak but told me I had made a funny whale and gave me an encouraging pat. "That's funny Mommy, but that's ok," he said reassuringly.


Our kids are sponges. They soak it all up - the good, the bad, the everything. I'm always relieved when they are playing that I hear them saying things to each other that I would hope they remember - the please's, the thank you's, the let's take turns, the great jobs, and the "I love you's." Unfortunately, they also remember the phrases you wouldn't necessarily want them to remember like "That's fabulous!" (with that special accent), or "What the..." (stopping just short of a nasty word - that I am hopeful is not yet cemented in their gray matter).

But all in all, at the end of a long day, there is nothing better than a 4 year old running to meet you at the front door saying "Mommy, I'm so happy to see you. I was worried about you. It is dinnertime and it is nighttime!" Nothing will ever take the place of these sweet babies in my life, except maybe only to be squeezed over by the other two olders and their dad. There is room for all of them in my heart. Life is good.