preschool is too cool for conventional methods of showing approval

preschool.

that's a thing, you guys.

it's a thing that's happening now.

AND it's a thing that i do.

and what's MORE is it's a thing that's happening now that i do that i haven't discussed with you yet this year.

DEAL WITH IT.

because today, today you get the First Star Ponies Story of the Year.

which, quite frankly, there are several you could have gotten earlier, like when Girl declared that the one mommy doll wanted to marry the one daddy doll but he was kissing the other mommy doll, or when Boy sliced his cheek open on some unknown object before school even started for the day so his mother rushed him off to the hospital instead of coming to school, or perhaps when Girl moved to ohio and i cried because i'd babysat her family several times, and i'd had her brother for two years before her and i loved him and i loved her and i loved their parents and i was Very Very Sad.

but no.

those are not the stories i am sharing with you today.

DEAL WITH IT.

today i want to tell you about the end of the day today, at dismissal, as we were leaving.

Boy's mother was holding him, and as i was going back to clean up my room she stopped me to tell me that her mother-in-law would be picking up and dropping off Boy tomorrow, and so i'd know who she was at pick up after i saw her at drop off.  then she asked Boy if he was ready for his grandmother to get him tomorrow. he very enthusiastically was.  so, i of course gave him a double thumbs up.  because that is what you DO when the children are excited.  and quite frankly all the time.  thumbs up is awesome.

ANYWAY.

Boy looked at my thumbs, looked at his hands, wiggled his fingers around a bit in an attempt to get his hands to mimic mine, then gave up on that effort, stuck up both of his index fingers, and shouted "TWO STICKS!" and so, awesome teacher that *i* am, i also held up my index fingers and agreed, TWO STICKS!

this led to FOUR STICKS!, FIVE STICKS!, and THREE STICKS!

that may sound somewhat confusing and difficult to accomplish based on his previous formula of two fingers, two sticks, until i tell you that four, five, and three were the number of fingers held up on each hand.

and it was adorable.

and also?

i will not be giving thumbs up anymore.

TWO STICKS! will now reign supreme.

because i like it.  because it's cute.  because it will confuse the ever living out of pretty much everyone i encounter.  which, as we all know, is how i like it.  and because i freaking said so.

TWO STICKS!