Conversations with Caleb

Heard from the direction of the bathroom: "I'M DONE!!!"
"Caleb!" I say in a hoarse whisper as I make my way to the bathroom, "Be quiet! James is asleep!"
"But I want to HOLLER!!"
"Caleb! Hush!" This time my words are sharp, and I see him start to crumple. His lip begins to tremble and pout as he says in a much more subdued tone, "But Daddy said...but...but I wanted to holler...."
Heard from the kitchen: "Oh, that would be my fault. I told him to holler when he was done."

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A few minutes later, Jon walks past the bathroom where Caleb and I are still sitting...
A small whisper: "Daddy?"
No response. Caleb makes a small chirping "Hm" sound.
A little louder: "Daddy?"
Still no response, and another chirp from Caleb, accompanied by palms upraised in a I-don't-know-why-he-doesn't-hear-me gesture.
Louder still: "Daddy!"
From the back room: "Yes Caleb?"
"You have to be quiet...James is sleeping!"
"...Okay Caleb."
Caleb looks at me with the same puzzled look as before: "He didn't say thank you! ...You need to say thank you, Daddy!"
From the back room, quietly: "Thank you! Now hush!"
Caleb to me: "What did he say?"

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In the car, Caleb points out the window. "What's down that road?"
"The movie theater."
"Can we go see a movie?"
"No, they don't have any good movies."
"Hm. Maybe my movies?"
"You want to let them show your movies?"
"Yes. I think Thomas."
(Thomas the Tank Engine, one of his "favowit" shows, if you were wondering)

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In the car, whispering: "Mommy, I have a secret to tell you."
"What is it?"
Still whispering: "You have to ask Daddy what is the magic word."
"Okay, I'll be sure to ask him."

(I've learned to just go with it. He'll eventually figure out how secrets work.)

At home, to Jon, "Mommy has to ask what is the magic word!"
Me: "Yes, Daddy, I'm supposed to ask you what the magic word is."
Jon, "Well, Hm...the best I know is..." and he leans down and whispers in Caleb's ear.
Caleb comes back to me with a big "I love you!"
Then a moment later..."No, that's not the magic word. It's Meeska, Mooska, Mickey Mouse!!"
(From Mickey Mouse Clubhouse, his "favowit" show at church.)

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And these are conversations just from yesterday--and a shortened day, at that, since much of it was spent at church! This boy cracks me up.