For the past few months Max has been experimenting more and more with how things work. We are constantly peppered with questions about the sky, what is inside our bodies, why the dinosaurs died, why people die (and get older) and yes, the favorite, where do babies come from. Along with this Max has started trying to put together his own models of how and why the world works. These lead to some interesting conversations with somewhat distorted logic. Here are a few of my favorites:
Funny Story 1:
Max: (while staring at a pile of carrot sticks) Mom, I don't like crunchy things.
Greta: And why is that honey?
Max: Because Elliot is my friend and Elliot does not like crunchy things, so I don't like crunchy things either.
Greta: (I figure a good null case should cure this logic) I guess you won't be having any of these chips. They are quite crunchy.
Max: No I can have chips. Elliot likes chips.
Funny Story 2:
Max has some of those glow in the dark stars stuck to the underside of the big bed. He sleeps underneath them and we regularly talk about them before we fall asleep. On one particular occasion, as I was trying not to fall asleep in Max's bed, Max piped up with a new idea....
Max: Mom, I think we should replace those stars with real ones!
Greta: And how are we going to do that?
Max: (looking puzzled) I guess we will just have to grow REALLY tall and then pick one out of the sky.
Greta: Max, stars are big burning balls of fire. Don't you think they will be hot?
Max: We can wear oven mitts.
Funny Story 3: (As retold to me by Angel)
One afternoon Angel was waiting at the bus stop with Max and Darwyn on their way back from a visit to the local museum. Two women from the nearby university were waiting at the same stop. Max sat quietly with Angel occasionally glancing over at the women. Then all of the sudden Max turned toward them an let out and ear shattering dinosaur rawr, complete with little dinosaur arms.
Angel: Max, what are you doing?
Max: I'm making friends.
Angel: We don't usually make friends that way.
Max lapses into silence for a few minutes and then turns back to the women.
Max: Pajamas! (Max pauses for a reaction and the women started laughing). Pajamas!
Angel: Max, what are you doing?
Max: If I make them laugh they will be my friends!
I must admit that I am rather fond of this age. Max has started to branch out a lot in his interests. I am no longer confined to hours and hours of trucks. Max is showing an interest in cooking, crafts, gardening, the natural world and especially in other kids. He is really working hard on social skills and he is becoming quite interested in "making friends". He is delightfully inquisitive and is thrilled with new bits of knowledge. He has also developed a keen interest in learning to read now that he has figured out he will be able to read stories whenever he wants! He can identify all his letters and most of the associated sounds and he and daddy have even started sounding out some words. He was tickled pink the first time this actually worked and he identified a word (with quite a bit of daddy's help). He shows less enthusiasm for math, but I did get him interested in counting dried beans. Oh well.
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