Fun with the 5 year old

Yesterday I took N4 out to the Dollar Store. He was feeling a little sad because on our date this weekend (Yes! We actually had a babysitter and went on a real date, when it *wasn't* a special occasion - first time in, oh - at least 7 years we've done that - it was SO COOL! :-) we stopped at a bookstore and got a couple of books for dh, but they are ones that J1 enjoys, too. So N4 felt left out. "But *I* wanted something! Why didn't you get ME anything?" So, feeling somewhat bad, I decided that he probably just needed some one on one attention, and told him I would take him to the dollar store and give him $2 to spend, and then he could go with me on the rest of my errands. He was thrilled.

Yesterday he was very talkative while we were out. One of the first things he said to me was, "Mom? Did you know that I don't know everything yet?" Giggle. I put a positive spin on it, talking about how much there was to know, and it was *fun* to learn new things. He agreed, thankfully! Later he asked me, out of the blue, "So. How DO you get pregnant anyway?" I about choked - convinced I'd misheard him. I ask him what he meant. "You know - how do you get another child?" Um. Hmm. Thankfully he was satisfied with a rather simple answer. I told him just that mommy parts and daddy parts come together and make a baby, which grows in a special place inside mommies. "Yeah," he said, "that's what my new body book says, you know, the one I got on Easter? I really like that book, mom!" Much (MUCH!) like his oldest brother, he has a complete fascination with the science-y stuff about the human body. J1 and N4 are so similar that it can be kind of eerie!

Later that evening, he had a little melt-down when we asked the brothers to clear the table after dinner and I found him hiding under the computer desk because he didn't want to do it. Of course, I demanded he go out there and pick up a dish, and he had one of the biggest tantrums he's had in quite some time. I explained that we all need to help make the household run smoothly because we're all a family, and he informed me, "I don't want to be in this family any more!" I told him he didn't have a choice about the matter, that we were family, we'd always be family, and no matter what we'd always love him. "You don't really love me!" he said pitifully. Because to a 5 year old, if we REALLY loved him, he'd get whatever he want and do whatever he wants, right? Thankfully he was actually grateful when I went to him and gave him a huge hug, and he later tearfully apologized for everything. "I'm SO sorry about everything, mom!" he says with tear-filled eyes. It's so interesting to see them develop their little consciences.

I find 5 year olds to be such challenging creatures! Funny ones, too, even though they often don't realize it! :-)