the meaning of numbers

Ro has an interesting relationship with numbers. He definitely doesn't perceive them the way adults do and not the way most other kids seem to either. He seems to be a very literal person in some ways. He refused to count above 20 for more than a year because he was convinced I was saying a nonsense word between the real numbers. 21-22-23-24-25-etc sounded like I was saying wizzywazzle 1 wizzywazzle 2 wizzywazzle 3, etc. He would just get really annoyed with me for being silly. I couldn't figure out how to convince him that 21 was an actual number until I struck upon counting out chocolate chips and asking, "do you want 19 chocolate chips or 25 chocolate chips?" Random objects didn't work because he had to care about the numbers and their meaning to make the connection.

Anyhow, Ro turned five a few weeks ago and it's kicked him into some kind of mental quagmire on the meaning of time and numbers and even his identity. He was four years old in the same way his name is Roen. If I offered him five or six cookies he would only take four because he was four years old. So, I think he feels I've pulled the rug out from under him in some way. Some days he's very happy to be five. Other days he asks to be four years old again and seems almost depressed when I tell him that isn't possible because age numbers only go one way. The next day, he wants to go ahead and be six years old and asks over and over, "how many days will I be five? How many days until I'm six?"

I told him we were going to his friend Henry's birthday on Saturday and that his friend will be four years old. Ro didn't have the reaction I would expect. He was upset because ..."Henry was going to take his four." Panic ensued because he was having another 'I want to be four' day. It's just so tough to explain things sometimes.

potty-style

We had Ro's five year old check up the week after his birthday. The papers the doctor gave us about five year old behavior said that they tend to use bad words and other "potty language", meaning anything shocking to say. Our doctor said to ignore it or it would just get worse. About a week later, Ro's "potty style language" really exploded. Fortunately, he doesn't seem to know any real bad words yet. The worst words he can use seem to involve either poop or mud or banana peels. He does these strange rhyming comments on everything. A classic Ro-ism would be "Pat! Splat! You're muddy and flat!!!!"

funny sayings

Upon learning a playmate's name was Jarr. Ro ran up to me and said. "My friend's name is Jarr. That's a funny name. He must be from another city or something."
___________________________

After waking to discover a giant mosquito bite on his calf... "That was a little mosquito!!! AUGH!!! What happens if you meet a big one?" You could tell he thought a big one would just suck him dry. I've been trying to explain mosquitos are tiny and only take one drop of blood.
___________________________

Roen came up to me in the kitchen and said, "Mommy, I want you to say a bad word!" I said, "Ok, what bad word should I say?" Ro said, "EVVVVIIIIILLLLLL!!!!" So, I said, "EEEEEEVIIIILLLLLLLLL!!!" in a deep, throaty voice and he ran off squealing.
___________________________

While talking about the possible origins of Gatorade, Ro says, "How do they squeeze the alligator out of the crocodile?"
___________________________

After meeting another little boy with the same name ( but different spelling), Ro got in the car and was bursting with excitement. "Are we twins? Does he live in a rectangle house too?"
____________________________


A classic Ro-ism
"Millipedes are my best friends!"

___________________________

Simone's favorite saying of the moment is "I have an idea!"

Sim: I have an idea!
Me: What?
Sim: airplane!
Me: oh? Do you want to fly?
Sim: No, throw it!
(I feign throwing a paper airplane)
Sim: I catch it!
Sim: I have another idea!
Me: What?
Sim: blue airplane
(repeat several more times about a tree, a sock, or whatever else happens to be around. Airplanes are a favorite topic though.)