a little loony over four

Ro loves the number 4 because he's four years old. He loves being four so much that he often confuses four with his name and takes any and all references to the number four as having as a specific meaning to him as if someone were calling him by name or something. He points out the number four everywhere even in abstract shapes like tar patterns on asphalt, cracks and sticks.

He likes to have four toys such as four cars hooked up to train engine or four cars, etc. He also likes to eat four of something. If I offer him little cookies for dessert, he'll only take four even if more are on offer.

He's been eating like crap all week and driving me absolutely spare. Today, he told me he wasn't eating because he didn't want to be five. He wanted to stay four. I told him that he was going to eventually turn five whether he ate or not. It's a frustrating situation. I'm trying to focus on telling him that food will give him energy rather than that food will make him grow big and strong. It seems to be helping a bit. I remember wishing I could stay small too -- or shrink. He's often told me that he wants to grow smaller rather than bigger. I think it's partially his fascination with Ralph a la The Mouse and the Motorcycle by Beverly Cleary.