Where Is God?

So, we taught Matthew how to pray. Sometimes, we have to ask him millions of times to pray before bed, and other times, he just does it on his own.

His nightly prayer consists of making the sign of the cross at the beginning. Then he blesses everyone and himself. In the prayer itself, he thanks God for everything, including "nice good day," "good food," "breakfast, lunch, and dinner," "thank you for going to the zoo," "thank you for playing with friends," "thank you for ice cream," "thank you for Mom and Dad," and anything else that happened to him during the day. He concludes with the sign of the cross, blesses everyone again, and blesses himself.

All of this is accompanied by heavy jumping around the bed on his knees, and when he’s finished, he drops his body on the pillow. One time, I dropped down with him.

"Matthew, that was a very nice prayer," I praised him.
"Matthew, do you know where God is?" I asked him.
"On the shelf," Matthew replied, pointing toward his dresser.

Theoretically, he’s very correct. We never got around to hanging the cross on the wall.

Things We Only Say At Home

So, we have fun. I sometimes pinch him on the bum, and he pinches me back.

One day we went outside to meet our local nanny and all her children. Matthew loves playing with them, but he adores Lady Margaret, the nanny. When we arrived at her place, the first thing he said to her was, "I pinched Mommy's bum."

"Matthew, don’t say that. We can only say that at home," I explained, laughing inside.

"I understand," Matthew replied and ran off to play with the children.

Another time ...

Another time, we were playing hockey outside. Matthew is really good at hockey for his age, always making me run down the street to catch the ball. We only play with a ball for now.
- 'Oh Sh!%' - I heard him say.
- 'Matthew this is a bad word and we do not say things like that when things go wrong' - I told him.
He’s at the age where he understands, so instead of ignoring it, we try to explain why certain words aren’t okay. They will pick up bad words eventually, so it’s better to teach him right from the start.
- 'Matthew we do not say bad words ever' - I explained again.
- 'I understand' - he confirmed.
The things kids pick up from TV! They know when and where to use them. We watch kids' channels most of the time, but when we switch to something else, he picks up the bad words. But he knows now and understands.

Later that day in the evening ...

I was talking to Matthew about something, and I remembered what he had done while playing hockey.
- 'Hey Daddy, Matthew said a bad word today' - I called to my husband.
Matthew smiled.
- 'Oh no Matthew why did you do that for' - Daddy asked with a serious face.
- 'Daddy we only say it at home, right' - Matthew called back to Daddy.
- 'No Matthew bad words, we never say them' - I started to explained to him.
Matthew looked at me kind of confused.
- 'F$#@&en Damit' - he replied, and walked away with smile on his face.

Oops! We definitely missed that one. After that, we had another little talk. Matthew now understands.

Only Three Years Old & Wants His Own Car

We were eating lunch together and talking. Daddy left the table to get something. I told Matthew that after lunch we have to go to the car dealership to look for a new car.
- 'No, no, I don't want to go to the car dealership' - Matthew demanded.
I explained that we need to get a second car.
- 'Daddy needs new car for work, and Mommy will take the KIA' - I told him.
Matthew started to think, and he is very obvious usually by grabbing his head or tapping on his forehead.
- 'What will Matthew drive?' - he asked with both hands in front of him, almost demanding.
I thought that was very funny and cute.
- 'Well, you can drive your red wagon' - I replied.
He looked at me, first surprised and then laughed.
- 'Oh that is funny' - he jokingly replied.

My Next Politician To Be Always Knows When To Skip Numbers

We often take Matthew to the local coffee shop for sweet treat, sometimes a cookie, a bagel with butter or his favorite timbits (cut centre from the doughnut). Matthew usually places his order and then we do ours. That day he insisted on having timbits. I advise him that he was only to have three. At the counter, I told him out loud that he only to have three timbits. I ensured that the clerk behind the cash register heard, and she did.

- 'So Matthew tell lady you are going to have three timbits today' - I told him.
- 'Matthew speak louder so lady can hear you' - I added.
- 'Okay three timbits' - Matthew replies to me.
Then he turns around to clerk and trying to speak loud.
- 'Four timbits, please' - he places his order.
She laughed and got him four timbits.

The other day we were coming back from visiting our local English garden. As always Matthew is very friendly with people by saying Hi or talking to them.

While walking out, three ladies were passing by. I was tagging on the back trying to take some flowers pictures. When I caught on, I joined the conversation.

- 'He is the next Prime Minister' - one of the ladies said to me.
- 'This is not the first time someone told me this' - I replied.
- 'Ask him who is the Prime Minister of Canada' - I told her and she did.
- 'Stephen Harper' - Matthew replied proudly.
- 'What is your name?' - another lady asked him.
- 'I am Matthew and I am three' - he replied.
- '... and next year I will be five' - he added.
- 'You know why he said five' - I told them.
- 'Why?' - they asked.
- 'Because he really wants Nintendo DS and he can have it when he will turn five' - I answered.

Funny enough today while out shopping, Matthew started his greeting round in the store. An old man came up to him to whom he said Hi, shook his hand and asked him.

- 'Are you a politician?' - he asked.
- 'Yes' - Matthew replied not knowing what it is.
- 'Will you take taxes away from us' - he continued.
- 'Yes' - Matthew replied.
- 'You know this is not the first time someone told me this' - I told the old man.
The man laughed and walked away. Daddy came and picked up Matthew.
- 'No you will not be a politician' - he whispered into his ear.

I'm Eating A Chocolate Vanilla Mouse

- 'Matthew what kind of ice cream is this' - I ask while he was eating his ice cream cone.
- 'Mmmmmm its a mouse' - he replied.
- 'A mouse, what's that' - I asked surprised.
- 'It is a swirl ice cream, not squirrel' - Daddy corrected him.
- 'I am eating vanilla-chocolate swirl ice-cream coooone' - proudly with ice cream all over his face he corrected himself.

I turned my head away and started to laugh. Matthew could not remember the 'swirl' word, he knew was similar to 'squirrel', so he picked another furry rodent a 'mouse'.

Children Learn To Count

Short and sweet counting post. It is amazing to see how children see patterns when they learn certain things, especially counting. Matthew is now three years old and this is how he counts.

One

Two

Three

Four

Five

Six

Seven

Eight

Nine

Ten

Eleven

Twelve

Thirteen

Fourteen

Fifteen

Sixteen

Seventeen

Eighteen

Nineteen

... Twenteen

'Matthew, it is Twenty and not Twenteen' - I corrected him.

'Okay Mommy, Twenty' - he corrects himself and continues to count.

Twenty One

Twenty Two

Twenty Three

Twenty Four

Twenty Five

Twenty Six

Twenty Seven

Twenty Eight

Twenty Nine

... Twenty Ten

'Matthew, no it is Thirty and not Twenty Ten' - I corrected him again.

'No Mommy its Twenty Ten' - Matthew replied.

'Matthew, next is Thirty One' - I wanted him to continue.

'No Mommy, I am done counting NOW' - he replied.