From the Mouth of a 3-year old

While shopping at Younkers (Jake and JJ were in the boys section looking at clothes, and Jayla and I were across the aisle in the girls section - and I heard the following...)
JJ - as he points to a shirt and some pants on the rack - "That's cute."
(Uh, yeah, you can tell who he's been shopping with!)
Daddy almost immediately after - "No, you don't say your clothes are cute. You say 'that's cool'."
JJ a few moments later as he lifts up a different outfit - "That's cute, daddy."
Daddy - "No, that's cool."
JJ giggles - "That's cool!"

On dating (this was after we got home from taking pictures of Yaw & his homecoming date):
JJ - "I have a date."
Daddy - "Oh, who are you going on a date with?"
"I don't know her name."
"You're going on a date and you don't know her name?"
Silence. Thinking. Big smile.
"Her name is Grandma."
"You're going on a date with Grandma?"
"Yes. I'm back from my date now."
"Oh, what did you talk about on your date?"
"We talked about Yaw's, and daddy's, and mommy's and bobby's and red ones and white ones (16-passenger vans) and football. It was fun."

While praying (before his play animals eat their play pizza at the play hotel):
"Thank you for Daddy, and Mommy, and Bobby, and Yaw, and for red ones and white ones. Amen."
Are you sensing the theme of his beloved 16-passenger vans?

On dinner (walking in the door after being at the gym with Daddy):
"Hi Mommy. Did you make us dinner?"
"Yes."
"What did you make?"
"Stuffed shells. Do you like stuffed shells?"
"Yes. I like stuffed sea shells."
I laughed about this for hours. I don't know why I thought it was so funny, but I kept getting this picture in my mind of white sea shells covered in spaghetti sauce!

Getting out of the car (to go watch practice at the gym):
"I'm not going to take my blankey today. I am a big boy," he said as he stuffed his blanket in his carseat.
I about dropped over.
"Okay," I said. I couldn't wait to see how this was going to go.
He lasted about 20 minutes in the gym, and then all of a sudden I saw him running up to me with big tears rolling down his face.
"I need my blankey," he sobbed.
I then swiftly headed to the car in 'Mommy to the rescue' fashion! Thank goodness....I wasn't ready for him to grow up that fast!

On my way out of the gym (saying goodbye to JJ since he was staying with Jake during practice):
JJ - "You going to take Bobby home now?"
Me - "Yes, I am going to go home. I am going to miss you. Have fun!"
"Okay Mommy. You're not going to miss me cause I'll be home soon, okay?" (I can't even tell you how sweet this sounds because it is comes out like he is reassuring me that it's going to be okay because he will be back soon. Who's the parent here?!)
Then, I started walking away and I looked back and he was watching me and gave me a wave and then he yelled "I wuv you!" Is there really anything better than hearing your child yell out 'I love you' especially when you didn't initiate it?!?!?! Oh, I literally teared up right when he said it. The best part was that there was a parent dad standing right there when he said it, and the Dad just looked at me with this big grin that seemed to express what a tender moment it was. Ah, I have such a sweet boy!