More Funny CJ Sayings

CJ continues to be a happy, chatty kid. He said he wanted to go to mass today, but when I told him that he had to be quiet for a whole hour, he decided he would stay home. Yup, that's how much he likes to talk.

What's interesting is how he conjugates verbs using standard rules, but the end result is wrong because English has so many darn exceptions. For example, he'll say:

• Mama, dada teached me how to play a new game.
• I breaked the tracks.
• Mama, today, I sleeped in the afternoon.

The funny thing is that he will sometimes use the correct verb conjugations for the verbs above, but at other times, he will conjugate incorrectly.

He is also quite enthusiastic about life. When I ask him a question, he often says, "Oh, yes!" or "Sure!"

Some funny and sweet things he's said recently:

"Mommy, come quick! I have a surprise for you!" (This is his latest ploy to get me to come running or interrupt me when I'm getting dressed or cooking.)

"Mama, I know that you need to work so that you can buy me trains and sushi." (His nanny share really, really hates the fact that her mommy works.)

"Mommy, I don't mind that you go to work because I know that you will always come back." (See above.)

When Mama Turned to Mommy

Somehow, over the holidays, CJ went from calling me" mama" to "mommy." I wonder if it's because he spent so much time with my nieces and nephew, who calls their moms "mom." Or if it's a natural transition that just happens.

It's just one of the changes I'm seeing in my little man.

He says the funniest things

CJ is now 3 1/2 years old, nearly 4 actually and he is saying the funniest, cutest things. My friend Sue said a while ago that I would be amazed by how much CJ will mimic me and Maki, especially our expressions and tone of voice. CJ's recent sayings:

"Oopsies" - when he drops something, something falls off the table.

"Sure!" - when I ask him if he wants to do something, like go out to dinner, or go to the supermarket. He's always very enthusiastic about life.

"Mama, I want to send you an e-mail" - he goes up to my laptop and pretends to type. I guess he's heard me say a thousand times that I just need to send one more e-mail.

"Maki!" - in a tone of voice that sounds just like me!

"I'm not talking to you" - when CJ asked Maki a question, but I answered. Yeah, he's already giving me attitude, but in a good way at least.

"Mama, I sent you a text message" - when I left the house early to attend a meeting, CJ got really upset, so Maki offered to send me a text message. Later that day, I called him and he let me know about my text message. He even wanted to see the text message on my phone when I got home that night.

He now uses "not yet," "actually," and "I'm not yet ready" all the time, as in "Let's brush your teeth - net yet, mama."

CJ is also clearly enjoying language. He makes up rhyming words or he gets really excited when he realized that words rhyme. He'll say "pat, cat, hat - it rhymes, mama!" He'll also make up words that rhyme.

Steven Pinker says that 3-year old are language experts and now I know why.