From the mouth of Cole...

I have literally begun keeping a "Note" on my IPHONE entitled COLE QUIPS. It is the cyber-equivalent of having a legal pad or notebook stashed in my bag, so that I can jot down the funny, fascinating or just plain fantastic things that are passing Cole's lips these days. It is quite amazing how knowledgeable and articulate he is about so many subjects as well as entertaining and witty.

He frequently catches me off guard with his random discourse, like the other day around dusk as we headed to tumbling class, from the backseat he sweetly says, "mommy, look at the beautiful sky, the clouds are kissing the sunset" . Indeed, the cloud bank was almost a horizontal line just sitting above the sliver of winter sun. It was the perfect description. He then melted my heart by saying "mommy, this is my favorite time of day". I felt that some inner DNA gene was at work since I have quite an affection for that interval just before the sun sets.

Cole is also perfecting the practice of cracking himself up. He likes to use nonsensical knock-knock jokes and then literally fall down laughing when he replies. Example: Cole: "Knock-Knock" Me: "Who's there?" Cole: "Plant" Me: "Plant Who?" Cole: "Plant goes YOO HOO" followed by him rolling on the couch in hysterics reminiscent of what I do when watching Robin Williams (well, not exactly but you get the overall picture).

I also love the fact Cole has no filter yet, that he speaks his mind, honest and forthright without pause. Although sometimes in the presence of others, I end up as the embarrassed one as I did the other day while picking him up at Montessori. Cole likes to bring home his work EVERYDAY and show Dave. I then typically hang his papers on the refrigerator or in the playroom or archive them into a folder I keep to later sort through for his yearly scrapbook. I have ALWAYS felt guilty at throwing any of his work away but alas, I certainly cannot keep everything and hence, I do toss out some random or less defining editions of his work. He twice in the past month found papers in the garbage can while disposing of "whatever" and came to me with such a look of despair on his face inquiring with a shaky voice "mommy, why did you throw my work in the trash!?" Both times, it was like someone kicked me in the gut. I tried to explain the best I could but at four years old, he simply and obviously had his feelings hurt and no explanation could fix that. So I pick him up the other day at school and as we tiptoe to the cubbies around the kids who are sitting quietly for storytime, Cole states loudly "now mommy, don't throw these out, okay?" I could have died as all three teachers looked our way.