The Magic Number

C, my 4 year old is AMAZINGLY savvy at recognizing symbols. He calls McDonalds "Ba-Ba" (sing it to yourself---"Ba ba ba ba ba....I'm Lovin' It!) and has for about 2 years now. It was one of the few things he would say that we could understand when he was just forming words. Once he sang it to us, that is.

Nowadays, he recognizes cars that are like Daddy's (Hondas--w/the big "H" symbol. All Honda's are like Daddy's car, even though the big boxy things are nothing like our 11 year old Accord), spouts off random letters when "reading" signs and can choose between Burger King ("cheeseburger") and McDonalds ("ba-ba") depending on which toy is available at the time. Never mind the fact that all he eats are the french fries.

But every number is "Seventeen." Looking at a clock, he'll tell you "It's Seventeen O'Clock!" If he's tired, he'll say, "It's seventeen o'clock--time for bed!" When he wants to go home, it's..."Seventeen O'Clock." He's the proud owner of a Finding Nemo book from Goodwill; one of those fun books where you push the button that goes with a picture in the story and a sound will play to support the action. This morning he came to us pointing at the price tag and saying, "Seventeen Dollars. Look, it's Seventeen Dollars."

Thank goodness it wasn't! And I hope the batteries run out soon. Well, after he's had Seventeen hours of fun.