FOUR

So I turned 4 a week ago. I'm big now. I'm having a hard time making mom and dad understand that though. They keep trying to discipline me and talk to me as if I'm a little child. I remind them repeatedly that "I'm FOUR now! Don't talk to me like that." or "You can't spank me."They still do but I'm not going to stop reminding them. Parents are s-l-o-w learners.

Bird poop

I get in trouble. A lot. And when I do, I like to come up with a clever response that might create a laugh that would lighten the mood and my punishment. Like the other day. I went outside to help dad in the yard and I wanted to look tough, so I leaned over and spit. Dad quickly told me that ladies don't spit. Being quick on my feet I responded by saying, "I had bird poop in my mouth."
Now that is a good excuse! I've tried to use it since then but it was only effective the first time.

Yes I Do

Confidence is something that comes natural to me. I don't have all the baggage that you adults have so I find it pretty easy to stay care-free and feel good about myself. I never want to come across as arrogant, but false humility is for 2 year olds. That's why when my dad says something like, "You look good Landrum." I can confidently agree with a, "Yes I Do!"

You're my girl

My dad likes to tell me that I'm his girl. I'm his only girl but I'm not sure if he's saying:
1. YOU'RE my girl
2. you're MY girl
3. you're my GIRL
and I don't know how to respond to that either. Because if I say, "You're my boy." it makes me sound like we are homeboys, which would make me a boy, which would negate the purpose of his comment.
So...at a loss for how to respond, I figure it's usually just best to respond with the exact thing that he said to me. I mean, it works when I'm in trouble. So now when he says, "You're my girl." I just smile and say, "Dad, you're my girl too." 

This One

My dad likes to ask me confusing, two-part questions. Like the other day when he picked me up from Mother's Morning Out. He knew I'd been a little sick and so he asked, "Did you cough much or did your nose run?" How is a two year old supposed to answer that? A little bit, yes, and no? Or no, kind of, yes, sort of? Come on! Ask me one question, let me answer it, and then ask me another. 

Not knowing how to respond I said, "Yes." To which he said, "Which one?" Huh?? Which one what? I figured he meant which nose was running, so I pointed to my left nose and said, "this one." He laughed, letting me know I didn't quite give him the answer he was looking for. From now on, when he asks one of those silly run-on questions I just shrug my shoulders until he breaks it down to a proper question. He's got a long way to go, but I'm being persistent.

Darking, Colding & Winding

I love it when dad gets home and he takes me and Broby for a ride in the wagon. We'll go feed the ducks and ride by my teacher, Mrs. Dawn's house, and sometimes we will stop at my friends, Ava and Elias's house, so I can play on their scooter and tricycle - although it's more fun when they're home and can play with us. But this whole time change thing has thrown everything off. Now it's almost dark when dad gets home and with the dark comes cold and wind. And we sometimes don't have time to go for a ride.

That's when I start bargaining for a ride in the morning. I wake up before the sun does so there is plenty of time to ride before dad goes to work. So with my head slightly tilted and my voice a little melancholy I'll ask, "When it gets through darking and colding and winding, can we go for a ride?" When I ask that way, the answer is usually, "Yes, when it gets through darking, colding and winding, we will definitely go for a ride."

I'm Busy

Now that I'm officially 2.5 years old, I've gotten to be pretty responsible. I can get things out of the fridge or put things in the trash. I can turn on the tv on. I can even move the ottoman in front of the tv, stand on it, put in a dvd and hit play. Broby tries to get me to put in his Baby Einstein videos, but I'm so past that. I'm into more of the Little Einstein or Clifford dvds now. He can put in his own movies when he gets big enough.
Like I was saying though, now that I can do all these things around the house; mom and dad have started asking more of me. "Landrum, go do this. Go get that." Give me a break! So now I've just started replying with, "I'm busy." I may not be at the time, but I try to fake it. It's not going over so well yet, but I'll get better. I have to. I've heard my older cousins talk about chores and I'm not interested in whatever that is.