After our late afternoon snack of popcorn and lemonade, the boys and I are sitting in the living room looking at a book.

I turn to Avadore and kiss him on the head. He kisses me back. "I love you, Avi," I say. "I lus you, Mom," he says, grinning.

I turn to LD. "I love you, William," I say and give him a quick kiss. He grins around the nipple of his bottle.

Avadore turns to LD. Here it is, I think. Avadore is going to say, "I lus you William," and my heart's going to melt and I'm going to say, "Ah," and I'm going to post it in the MIL's blog.

Avadore looks at LD for a moment and then back at me and grins and then looks back at LD. He holds LD's gaze and says, "I lus chickens."

***

Avadore recently made up/told his first joke:

A: Knock, knock. (While knocking on my thigh.)
Me: Who's there?
A: Me.
Me: Me who?
A: Let me come in. (Wild laughter.)

Give him a break -- he's only four.