Cassius is having a little bit of trouble figuring out his last name. And he hasn't even begun to spell it yet. Tonight, when I was changing his diaper, he told me his last name is "Manoslakos-Loewen." "That's right!" I responded. "And you're Manoslakos Loewen, too!" he crowed. "No, I'm Loewen and Mama is Manoslakos." I'm not sure why I mispronounced it, too, but I did. He was a bit confused. Luckily, he knows what dragons and monsters say. Even baby ones.

Maceo's Food Sequencing Rules

When Pat recently picked up Maceo after school one day he asked, as he always does, to go to the gelato store. He and Pat both know it’s a once a week pleasure, but to be sure there are no changes in the agenda, he asks each day. And as usual Pat reminds him that they've been already this week. Then he assumes the fallback position: how about the cheesecakes? (He know that answer too.)

But Pat sympathized with him agreeing that gelato was delicious and it would be great to eat it more frequently. She suggested that when he is grown, he can run his own gelato store and eat it three times a day or more. Maceo, very serious, replied that no, he’d have "breakfast food" for breakfast, "lunch food" for lunch, etc., but he’d have gelato in the afternoon. When you’re supposed to eat it, she guessed.  They agreed that was a good plan.

Parental validation complete:  kids really do listen to what we say.

Cassius turns five along with Maceo

Recently at a playground in Takoma Park on a Tuesday in which Mami/Pat and Maurice take Cassius all day, Cassius told everyone he met that he was five. There were two elderly Chinese ladies on the playground, walking the track. They did not speak English. Cash announced to them that he was five and then launched into his life history: St Anne’s, Maceo, Maceo’s birthday (in which he really did turn five), and so on.  

Later when Nick told him he was only two, Cash shot back: no, I’ve had 4 birthdays! 

So we take it he’s 5. Officially.