Is today today?

Poor Cole is getting a little confused about the whole yesterday, today, and tomorrow thing. He'll often ask, "Mom, is today tomorrow?" Well, yes. Today is yesterday's tomorrow, but now that's way too confusing for a 3 year old! So this morning we're running some errands and this is our conversation:

Cole: Mom, is today today?
Me: Yes, it is Son.
Cole: Whooooo! I love today today!

Cole Boy is on one these days. He started saying, "What the...?" He doesn't say the bad word, he just says 'what the' like he's going to and then stops abruptly - you all know what I mean. Anyways, I promise you he didn't learn that from me because I immediately told him that I didn't like the way that sounded (at least coming from a 3-yr. old) and "would he please not say it anymore?" Well, it seemed like he started saying it more and more and every time I asked him not to say it, he would spit it out a few more times. On Sunday evening we were at my in-laws' house and he said it. I looked at him and started to remind him not to say it (I know, I'm a mean mom) and he interrupted me with, "Mom(very matter-of-factly). If you ask me not to say it, I'm only going to say it more and more times." What?? I look over at my father-in-law, who is busting up, and then to my husband sitting next to me who is trying his best not to crack, and I had to cover my mouth so the giggles wouldn't come rushing out.

Anyways, so we've been trying to come up with other expletives (or not) that he can say to substitute for 'what the...' . His ideas: "What the carnation?" and "What the heck?" I threw out "Holy moly" and "Oh my goodness". He liked "Holy moly" but said he doesn't want to say "Oh my goodness" just in case it's a bad word. So "holy moly" it is. I've already heard it at least 5 times today. Haha. At least he's not trying to say anything worse :)