The [littlest] Graduate

Daniel graduated preschool.

It was a momentous occasion, although Dan was leery of the event because he thought he had to go to kindergarten the next day. He has no concept of time.

Me: Daniel, you graduate from preschool today!

Dan: Do I go to kindergarten tomorrow?

Me: No. You go in August.

Dan: Is it August tomorrow?

Literally, anything that has to do with the future is tomorrow in Dan's head. His brain cannot process more than twenty-four hours at a time. If Keifer Sutherland hadn't already beat us to the punch, we could have filmed a very interesting show called 24 just about us telling Dan of things that are to come.

The boys with hair more than an inch long got to wear bobby pins to keep the cap in place. I hope this is Daniel's first and last time wearing bobby pins.

After he got his diploma, the preschool director asked Daniel what he would like to be when he grows up. His answer? A race car driver. (Daniel has always wanted to be a Daddy when he grows up, but he thought that you couldn't have a job and be a Daddy at the same time.)

Interesting to note that his best buddy, Hayden, also wanted to be a race car driver.

We've been telling Daniel that it's okay to be different from your friends. Real friends will like you even if you don't have the same favorite color.

Dan: My favorite color is red now.

Me: I thought your favorite color was yellow?

Dan: It was, but Hayden's favorite color is red, so my favorite color is red.

Me: Your favorite color can still be yellow. Hayden will still like you even if your favorite color isn't red.

Dan: But best friends do things for each other like have the same favorite color and eat the other one's cheese stick if they don't want it.

He's like a little Buddha.

I made two cakes for the after-graduation picnic at the park- one vanilla, one chocolate. I asked Daniel which one he was going to eat.

Dan: Whichever one Hayden wants.

Me: But which one do you want?

Dan: Whichever one Hayden wants.

Me: But what if Hayden weren't there?

Dan: What do you mean? Is Hayden not going to be there??

Me: No, Hayden will be there. But what if you had to choose first?

Dan: Then I would ask Hayden to go in front of me in line.

Me: But what if you HAD to choose by yourself?

Dan: I guess I would pick vanilla.

Me: That's a good choice.

Dan: But if Hayden picked chocolate, then I would ask the teachers if I could switch my vanilla for chocolate.

I suddenly wish after-school specials would make a comeback. And not the kind where the mom buys her daugher her first pack of maxi-pads, but the kind where if's okay if your favorite color is yellow.