Are You Happy?

Ryan’s latest thing is asking Joe and I if we are happy.  This started with a potty-training thing; he was blowing off going #2 in the potty for a few days, so Joe told him it made him very unhappy when he went poop in his pants.  So Ryan though about it, and the next time he went on his potty and jumped up and asked, “Are you happy, Daddy?”

He did that for a week or so, and then he started asking me if I was happy at various times. The other day, he pushed Cole down, and I told him  “That makes me very unhappy.”  He actually started crying.  I didn’t set out to make him cry, but that really got to him.  After we talked (for the zillionth) time on why we don’t push Cole down, he asked me in almost a whisper, “Are you happy now, Mama?”  Of course, I had to tell him “yes.”

Then two nights ago, I came downstairs, and Ryan was sitting on the couch, and Cole was playing on the floor. Ryan had his legs crossed and was holding his chin, like a great thinker, contemplating something very deep.  I asked him what he was doing, and he said, “I am NOT happy- Baby Cole is playing with my truck.”