Liam: You know? I had a dream that I was a cup!
Me: A cup?
Liam: Yeah. And when I was a cup I was wishing that I was a Liam
The things little boys say
Liam: You know? I had a dream that I was a cup!
Me: A cup?
Liam: Yeah. And when I was a cup I was wishing that I was a Liam
Liam: Malachy? Do you love me?
Malachy: Yeah
Liam: Malachy? Do you love me 20 euros?
Malachy: Eeeemm... Yeah!
At the dinner table, Liam is pretending to be a magician and he hides his fork behind his back…
Liam: You see? It disappeared!
Me: Wow! And where did it go?
Liam: It just disappeared!
Me: But where do things go when they disappear?
Liam: To Japan.
Me: Oh!
Liam: And do you know who else is in Japan?
Me: No, who?
Liam: Cinderella… and the 3 little pigs… and the muffin man…
Me: No way! And do you know who else lives in Japan?
Liam: Of course! (eagerly) Séan and Sarah!
Just in case you didn’t know, that last part is in fact true. Séan and Sarah are Liam’s cousins who do, in effect, live in Tokyo. I think this proves that he thinks wherever they live must be a really mysterious fairytale place…
Liam: (At the playground) Mammy, do you see that little house over there?
Me: Yes
Liam: That's where you go to sit when you're tired and you want to have a rest
Me: Really?
Liam: Yeah. You know how I know that?
Me: No, how?
Liam: (deadly serious) Because I know things. I just know lots of things...
Liam playing with his toy animals, doing all the voices and multiple role-plays in his little imaginary world...
Liam: Mammy, here (handing me a brown plastic toy cow)- you be the mad old cow and I'll be the nice little horse
Me: OK, great...
Liam: Let's have a race!
Malachy: O-tay (translation "OK")
Liam: Let's see if I'll be the winner. I'm bigger than you so I'm gonna be the winner
Malachy: O-tay
Liam: You see when I was a baby and Mammy was a boy, then Mammy was the winner of the race because she was bigger than me.
Malachy: O-tay
Liam: I know what a shadow is!
Me: OK, what is it?
Liam: Well, its a sort of a person... that goes with a person... but it's another person...
Me: Um, yeah...
My father's dog Saoirse died this weekend. Liam has some questions about death:
Liam: When you die, what happens? Does somebody come and take you away?
* * * *
Liam: I know a way you can die. If somebody kills you, then you die.
* * * *
Liam: If Granny and Granddad are so sad because Saoirse is gone, maybe I can go in there and cheer up them....
* * * *
Liam: When am I going to die? Does everybody have to die? I don't want to die!
* * * *
Malachy (age 2): (Holding up his last piece of sausage -the piece that he always saved for the dog) Saoirse? (Pause. Sigh)... Poor Saoirse
Liam: Mammy, I can't find my toy car!
Me: Which one?
Liam: You know... the one that's red and dark white
Me: Dark white?! What colour is that?
Liam: It's this colour, look!... Points at cream-coloured tablecloth!
At dinner, as usual, Liam is lagging behind everyone else...
Liam: Hey, I know! Let's play 'spot the difference'
Me: Oh, that's easy... your plate's different to everyone elses' because ours are almost empty and yours is still almost full! Come on, eat up!
Liam: No, Mammy, 'spot the difference' is not a race. Oh! But if this is a race, maybe I should eat faster then!
Me: Um, yeah... whatever...
Me: Liam! Why are you being so bold?! I hope you don't behave like this in school!
Liam: No, I'm always good in school Mammy!!
Me: So, why are you so naughty at home?
Liam: Well, I'm only in school for a little time, Mammy,... but I'm at home ALL day!!
Liam: Granny,... Grandad's better than you!
Granny: (disappointed) Why is that?
Liam: Because he does better things than you. He takes me to the park and we have picnics and adventures...
Granny: Oh...
After 9 whole days of separation, on the phone today:
Liam: Mammy, I don't know what you look like!
Me: (grappling with my emotions) Well, you know what? I look a lot like you!
Liam: giggles
I haven't seen Liam and Malachy for almost 9 days now and it's really killing me. I miss them both so much, it really hurts. Jaime and I are in Barcelona with Lorcan while he's recovering from the cleft lip surgery he had last Tuesday. He's doing really well and we're all dying to get back home to the boys. We chat on the phone every evening and for the past three days my conversations with Liam have ended something like this:
Me: OK, Liam, we better say goodbye now love...
Liam: Mammy?
Me: Yes, Liam?
Liam: (Pause) (worried tone) Can I give you a kiss?
Me: Oh yes, please!
Liam: *smuak*
Me: *smuak*... I love you
Liam: (sounding happier now) OK, bye Mammy!
Me: (On the phone to my mum who's currently minding Liam and Malachy) So,... how are they behaving?
Granny: Oh, they're being really good
Lots of background noise.
Me: Wow! Sounds like they're really getting into it!
Granny: They're really well-behaved ALL the time EXCEPT when I'm on the phone!! (Muffled voice) Boys! Come on be good now, I'm on the phone to mammy!! Play nicely, please! I can't hear anything!
Liam: (to Granny) But I want to play NOISY, Granny!
More laughs, giggles, squeals, etc...
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