“Patience Mama,” my son said to me while we were organizing LEGOs. And I admit my tone was impatient. We were separating models, trying to figure out which bin teeny plastic pieces should go in. But “patience,” really? From my four-year-old?

I asked where he’d learned that and he said, “I’m not telling you” with a huge smile.

Of course, five minutes later when I was in the bathroom and he was calling, “Mama” and not accepting the answer that he should wait, I said, “Patience!”

“Where did you learn that Mama?”

“From you. Where did you learn it?”

Wildly grinning, “I’m not telling you.”

Then we were reading Magic Tree House last night and Annie and Jack were reminding each other of Merlin’s instruction to be patient. Aha!

I love figuring out where Cavanaugh learns things. Sometimes I recognize something I say (which is not always a good thing). But when I have no idea whatsoever, it’s really fun. I realize this won’t always be true, but considering he spends most of every day and night with me, I know much of what his life is about.

Still, he’s this totally separate being. And now he’s interacting with other people and saying stuff I don’t recognize.

Yesterday, he was hanging out with his buddy Aidan. They were driving around Aidan’s back yard in one of those kid jeeps. It was a John Deere Tractor and they were loading pieces of firewood into it, taking turns adding wood from one side or the other, making this neat stack and looking like grown men. The teamwork and unspoken communication was remarkable. I wished afterward that I’d taken a video. But I didn’t want to miss a second of watching them to go find my iPhone.

We had a whole day of me just watching and being amazed by how this boy functions in the world.  Our trip to the grocery store was punctuated with plastic clementine sample cup hijinks. He kept putting the cups over his mouth and hollering hello at anyone passing by. Then he talked to me up and down the aisles but I couldn’t understand a word he was saying, which he thought was absolutely hilarious.

I’ve gotta say, I did too.

You know those days when you can take a breath and any parent-kid challenges that would have your four-year old telling you to be patient, get put on hold so you can just see this incredible little person that you have the privilege of parenting? Yesterday was a day like that.