what's in your nose?

perfect picture to go with this memory

Caden seems to create a lot of valuable memories recently,  good, bad and hilarious.  Tonight's could have been a lot funnier than it was....if he hadn't thrown a fit in the beginning, middle and end.

Sitting at dinner, I happen to notice him shove a green bean in his nose.  It was out of genuine curiosity from what I could tell. The look on his face was priceless. Then he caught my eye, and tried to pick it out....which of course shoved it further up his nose.  I think I probably would have been laughing had he not just caused a scene about....carrying his plate, which utensil to use, what color his cup was, what vegetable HE got to choose (it was 'one of those days' today).

I promptly told him he should never put anything up his nose unless its saline spray for his nose (fast forward many years and that rule should be helpful in deciding whether or not to put anything in his nose, right?).
He immediately responded with "That's not fair."

Huh? What isn't fair? That I don't want you to put food/anything up your nose? It was a trap and I wasn't going to go down that road with him

He finally got out the bits of green bean after blowing his nose. (which due to the kind of mood he was in, of course, was not a simple task)

I said, "Sorry, I'm not being mean, I'm trying to keep you healthy."

and he responded with "yes, you are being mean!"

and like any other good parent (which I'm finding out lately, seem to be in short supply) I told him....
"Okay, you are right. I am being mean, but sometimes I am going to do things or say things that seem mean to you....but its because I am taking care of you."

Granted he is four and that lesson is a hard one learned. It took me til I was grown and teaching to realize what a great job my mom did in not giving me everything I wanted, and learning lessons that hard way...or apparently, the mean way.

I love you my sweet, sweet boy. you challenge me in ways I am not prepared for, but I love you just the same.

future of legos

I love the way Caden thinks...well most the time.  Sometimes I despise it (like when he is freaking out over his granola bar wrapper ripping 'the wrong way.') but mostly he amazes me at how thoughtful he is about his life and all that it has to offer.  David and I often find ourselves sharing conversations we had with Caden in which he amazed us at how he seeks out information.  questions we have heard in the last week: Where does the word hug come from?  Why do we call our lips touching a kiss?  How do you make whip cream?

Today at dinner Caden abruptly announced he was going to work at the 'Lego place.' (LegoLand).  He described what he would do on his job....help people build cars to drive on the ramps, give people bracelets to wear.  He even said he would charge people money to get in.  When asked how much he would ask people to pay, he gave it some thought and stated $3.

He then told us that he would have to drive home a long way from his job.  I told him that maybe someday he could move to live by his new job.  So I asked, who would you live with?  Again, he gave it some serious thought.  I watched him closely and his eyes flicked between Coleman, his dad, and me.  He smiled briefly as his eyes landed on each of us and he said he would live with Coleman.  I asked if anyone else would live with him and then he smiled and said yes, you and dad.  "we will move to a new house and someone else can move to our house."

The big question I asked....How old will you be when you get this job? (I was curious if he had any inkling of a guess.) serious thoughts and then excitedly he stated, 45!  I love it.  He will be 45 living with us in a new house and working at Lego Land.  He has it all planned out. =)

It was such a cute conversation that It was one of those moments I wish I had it on video but getting the camera out would have ruined it.  So instead of relying on my horrible memory, here I am to document.