A prayer from Aidan

"Dear God,
I love you.
Please, could I have a different dream tonight?  Not one with Sasquach or something like that.  I think that dream you've been giving me is more for an eight-year-old, not a five-and-a-half-year-old.  Could I have a dream more for someone my age?  Like, maybe a playdate with Phillip?
Thank you, God.
I love you.
Amen."

I don't think he's alone

The other day, as we were driving to school (which ride is host to some of our best conversations) I could tell Aidan was pondering something.  He said to me, "Mommy, why do girls have to wear a shirt when they go out in public?"  Now, I know he knows why.  The reason I know he knows is that we've had that same conversation numerous times - he's been periodically curious about it, wanting to learn the rules and starting to want his own privacy.  I said, "You know why, Aidan."

"(sigh) Yes, Mommy.  (sigh)  I wish they weren't private."

you'd think I'd have learned by now....

This last week we were on vaca (fantastic) in Cabo (also fantastic), and we learned once again the lesson that it's really easy to underestimate what he's capable of. It's a recurring theme - I remember being surprised when he was eating at the table with silverware in the infant room at daycare, and I'm still having to learn. Anyway, we found out several grown-up things he can do while we were gone. Body surfing for one, but also he knows already how to play rummy? I knew he was ready for and plays card games like concentration, war, go fish, crazy 8s but rummy? That's a pretty tough game. No problem, though - he gets it. (He hadn't told us he knows how to play because he didn't know we knew how.)

He's also teaching himself chess, and I've finally convinced him the name of the game isn't "chest."  I thought it best that he doesn't run around asking friends to play chest with him.  Anyhoo, I don't know how to play - my Nook came with a free Chess application.  I had to look up on Wikipedia how the pieces move, so he's got that now, and he plays the computer.  He's getting into it - I'll hear him say, "I'm getting out my nasty queen!" in an excited and menacing voice.  I sense a Christmas present (and some chess lessons for Mommy!)

"I'm a gentleman"

We were sitting at dinner at a local restaurant and got flavored water to drink.  He grabbed my glass and the water and said, as though to himself, "I'm a gentleman and I pour for ladies."  Where it came from, I have no idea.  My boy was chivalrous.  Awesome!