interview with a toddler

i first heard about “toddler interviews” a little before liam started really (correctly-pronouncing-words, forming-actual-sentences) talking — a few facebook friends had posted question templates with their toddler’s answers. being the list-making, question-asking, over-documenting person that i am, i was almost more eager for liam to finally be talking so i could interview him and capture his personality and spirit, and record his likes and dislikes, at this stage than i was for him to just, y’know, be talking.

…almost. just kidding. kind of.

fortunately for everyone involved (most especially for a certain interview-loving member of our family who will remain unnamed), the wait wasn’t too long. liam turned into quite the chatterbox almost overnight, and i love it.

1. what is something that mama says to you?
   i love you to the moon. that’s what mama says. i think so. i know that.
2. what makes you happy?
   you do, and papa do.
3. what makes you sad?
   getting boo boos or crying.
4. what makes you laugh?
   you do, and papa do.
5. how old are you?
   one – two – three!
6. how old is mama?
   eighty-four. no, grandma is. no, she is eighty-six. no, she is sixteen. you are seven.
7. how old is papa?
   eighteen. sixteen. nine. no, papa is… i don’t know.
8. what is your favourite thing to do?
   peekaboo. play toys. eat food. dancing crazy and dancing ballet. give hugs and kisses. being a big helper. go to the library and read books. say hi and goodbye and wave at everybody.
9. who is your best friend?
   grandma and grandpa, mama and papa.
10. what are you really good at?
    picking up and eating!
11. what did you do today?
    talk to grandma. run to the potty. got stickers. made puzzles. cooked in my kitchen. smelled flowers. coloured. played shadows. watched merlin.
12. what is your favourite food?
    breakfast or apples or water.
13. what is your favourite song?
    the toy story songs and the tangled songs.
14. what is your favourite colour?
    yellow and blue and black and green.
15. what is your favourite animal?
    my favourite animal is ribbit! i like frogs. my favourite animal is oink! i like pigs!
16. what did you dream about?
    mama and papa and grandma and grandpa and three uncles and animals and food. i dream about all the things. i dream about everything i like.
17. what is your favourite toy?
    the dinosaur puzzle and the school bus and ollie the orca. i have a lot of toys.
18. what is your favourite fruit?
    i like apples and cutie oranges and bananas and strawberries.
19. what is your favourite book?
    arthur goes to school.
20. what is your favourite thing to do outside?
    pick apples in the apple trees. walk in the city. play.