Little Billy came in from school and dropped his backpack by the front door. On his way to the kitchen I asked, "How was school today, Little Billy?"
He opened the door to the refrigerator, stood in front of it and said, "Horrible."
I said, "Why?"
Then he said, "No - not really. It was great! It was exhilarating," and then he peeked his head into the refrigerator.
I looked over and could only see his back, as his body was behind the door and I said, "It was?" and laughed. "Do you know what exhilarating means?"
He peeked out from behind the refrigerator door, looked over at me, cracked a little smile and said, "Not really."
He grabbed the jug of milk and closed the refrigerator door and then said, "I used a big word on the bus today," he plunked the milk jug up on the counter. "So-and-so always feels the need to protect me - you know - because I'm small and all - he was saying something about how my parents wouldn't let me go to see SAW IV (which they WILL NOT, by the way!) because I'm too little and I said to him, 'Just because I'm little, doesn't mean I'm _______ (fill in blank with big word he supposedly used - but now can not remember - he thinks it might start with a P and means - 'not as small and useless as you think I am').
I laughed and said, "What was the word - pathetic?"
"No," he said.
"Was it puny?"
"No," he said.
He never remembered the big word that he used, but was proud nonetheless.
Walking out of the kitchen I turned back and said, "When you remember the word - let me know."
"Why?" he took a big swig of milk and looked across the room in my direction.
"So I'll know the word and maybe so I can use it sometime," I started walking up the stairs, "I can use it sometime, right?"
He smiled and said, "Sure," like this was very cool that I would want to use one of his words.
On the upside ... It helps if you HAVE a word - to actually USE a word. But ... in our family - we give credit for just having ever used a word at all! No need to recall it ever again. I'm very proud of him. I'm certain it was an impressive word.