Interview with a 3 Year Old

Take One (done yesterday):

Me:  So 'N' what's tomorrow?

N:  My birthday party!

Me:  No, not your party.  We already had that.  It's your . . . . (pause to let her finish)

N:  BIRTHDAY!!

Me:  How old will you be?

N:  Two (holding up 3 fingers)

Me:  Are you sure about that?  Count your fingers.

N:  1, 2, 3.  THREE!!!  (said at volume level high with lots of jumping)

Me:  What will you do when you are three?

N:  Umm . . .  I don know.

Me:  Well, what do you think you'll do?  Guess.

N:  I pway tag wiff 'K' (friend from church).

Me:  Oh, what else?

N:  I dwaw wiff 'K' and pway egg wace wiff 'K' and 'R' (another friend from church) and I bunny hop wiff 'K' and 'R'

Me:  Oh, anything else?

(N was already off and running around somewhere)

Me:  Why do we have birthdays?  Why are birthdays special?

N:  (as she runs out of the room) BECAUSE!!!!

Me:  Because why?

N:  (still running) I don know.

Take Two (this morning)

Me: What's today?

N:  It's my birthday party!

Me:  No, it's not your birthday party.  What is it?

N:  I don know.

R:  Today is your birthday.

N:  IT'S MY BIRTHDAY!!!!!!  (volume level high and lots of jumping)

Me:  What will you do as a three year old?

N:  Pway piano wiff 'R' (friend from church)

Me:  What will your favorite color be as a 3 year old?

N:  Purple

Me:  What will your favorite food be as a 3 year old?

N:  Red stwawbewwies

(Interesting answer considering yesterday as a 2 year old, she would only eat one bite out of each strawberry and wouldn't finish them.  Hmmm)

Me:  What are we having for your birthday dinner tonight?

N:  Ticken Pot Pie!

Me:  What are we having for dessert with your birthday dinner?

N:  TICKEN POT PIE!!!!!  (volume level high)

And I'm totally OK with her thinking chicken pot pie is a dessert!

Me:  How old are you today?

N:  Two and a half

Me:  Do you know why we have birthdays?  Why are birthdays special?

N:  I don know.

Me:  It's the day you were born.  Did you know that?

N:  Yes. 

Me:  Do you remember the day you were born?

N:  Yes.

Me:  What do you remember?  What did it feel like?

N:  It was a baby in your tummy.  It was being born.

Hmmm.  I think I'll stop there with those questions.

Take Three

Me:  How old are you today?
N:  Three (at least we finally got that answer right!)

Me:  What is today?
N:  My birthday (said with little to no enthusiasm.  I think she was tired of the questions!)

Me:  Why do we celebrate birthdays?
N:  I don know.
(I guess I should give up on that question, huh?)

At least she knows that today is not the party and that she's three - for the moment.  I suspect I could ask her these questions over and over and get a different answer each time.  I guess that's the fun of a 3 year old - You never know what you're going to get!

Oh, 'N'!  You exhaust us and keep us laughing!  We love you.

Happy Birthday!