Sometimes I just don't understand where things come from

Road signs are a particular favourite of Bright Eyes. He has an odd little script that goes with them too. If for example, we saw this sign on the road, he would say, "Forty sign red circle shape zero dancerr" in one quick breath, and with a very pronounced r sound on the end. It would take far too long to explain where the zero dancerr bit came from...

Mum and Dad were here today. Bright Eyes turns four in about three weeks, and Mum was talking to him about it. What follows is an approximation of the conversation.

"How old will you be on your birthday?"

"Bright Eyes is birthday cake."

"Yes, you'll have a birthday cake. Yummy. But how many candles will you have on the cake?"

"Birthday cake has candles."

"You'll have four candles on your cake. You'll be four."

"Bright Eyes three."

"Yes, soon you'll be four. You'll have your birthday and you'll be four."

"Soon four. Bright Eyes birthday."

"It will be Sister's birthday too. How old will she be?"

"Not sister birthday. Bright Eyes birthday."

"First yours, then sister's birthday. How many candles will she have on her cake?"

"Traffic lights."