Welcome to the land of four

Pajama Day at Preschool
Originally uploaded by marytsao

Emily and I had a conversation the other day that pretty much sums up what life has been like with her ever since she turned four.

Emily (hands on hips and scowl on face): Mommy, am I one?!

Me: No, you're four. You just had a birthday, remember?

Emily: Then why did Auntie Jennie put a "1" candle on my cake?! I'm not one, I'm four!

Me (puzzled): I don't know. Maybe that was the only candle she had. Let me ask your dad.

I IM Mike: Did Jennie put a "1" candle on Emily's cake?

Mike IMs me: ?

I IM Mike: Emily is upset because she says Jennie put a "1" candle on her cake. Do you know what she's talking about?

Mike IMs me: There was only one candle on Emily's cake.

*GIANT LIGHT BULB GOING OFF*

Me: Emily, Did Auntie Jennie put a "1" candle on your cake or a single candle?

Emily: She only put one candle on my cake and I'm not one, I'm four!

Me: Sweetie, when somebody puts only one candle on your cake it doesn't mean you're one, it just means there's only one candle. Like when we celebrated daddy's birthday last year, even though he's [insert gigantic number here], we only put one candle on his cake. Okay? Jennie knows you're four, and she didn't mean to offend you.

Emily (looking skeptical): Okay, because I'm four!

Me: Yes, you are.