[Scene: We’re in the Trader Joe’s getting our weekly haul]
Shannon: [Picks up some bagels and puts them in the cart]
Liam: Oh! Bagels! I LOVE Bagels! Mmmm. Mmmm. Tasty.
Shannon: [Picks up a package of fresh pasta and puts it in the cart.]
Liam: Oh! Crackers!
Shannon: Actually, this is pasta. Remember we had some of this kind last week and you really liked it?
Liam: Oh! Pasta! I LOVE Pasta! Let’s buy some.
Shannon: Sounds good. [Puts a bag of trail mix into the cart]
Liam: Oh, that’s trail mix. I love’a de trail mix. So yummy. Dere’s chocolate in dere.
Shannon:Â That’s right–there is chocolate in there.
Liam: OH! It’s a balloon! It’s a white one! I LOVE balloons!
Shannon:Â That’s right, there are balloons over there.
Liam:Â I want that, please.
Shannon: Well, sometimes we get a balloon and sometimes we don’t. We’ll just have to wait and see. [Puts a bag of pretzels into the cart.]
Liam: Oh! That’s pretzels. I like’a de pretzels. So tasty. Mama, I so HONGRY.
Shannon: It’s 10:45 and you finished breakfast an hour and a half ago. You’re gonna have to wait until we’re finished shopping to eat. Okay?
Liam: Okay. No eat. [Gesticulates wildly towards a display of tortilla chips]. Oh! I LOVE chips!
Shannon:Â I know you do.
Liam: Mama? Do you know what?
Shannon:Â What?
Liam: I LOVE…MAMA! I love you so much!
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There are some things about toddlerhood that I won’t miss, but it’s happenings like this conversation that I’ll try to hold on to for as long as possible. It’s such a sweet age.