Oh, be careful little mouth, what you say (and, apparently--HOW you say it)

Today, Colin and I were reading some Henry and Mudge books. We got done with a story about kittens--who happened to be named after some of the planets--and this conversation ensued:

Colin: "Oh! Venus! My reading buddy lives on Venus."

Me, taken aback: "What's that? Your who does what now?"

Colin: "My reading buddy. Lives on Venus."

Now, this is the first I've heard of such a thing as 'his reading buddy'.

Me: "Your reading buddy? Who is that?"

Colin: "His name is Jack. He's a lobster."

I sat and just stared, squinty-eyed and a bit open-mouthed, at Colin. I hear a lot of wacky things each day, but this conversation was getting weirder by the second, and just caught me a little more off guard than usual.

A reading buddy. Named Jack. Who is a lobster. And lives on Venus.

Hmmmmm.

Colin could tell I wasn't picking up what he was laying down.

He opens his mouth and does 'the slow speak'.

"Moooooooom. At schoooooool. I have this reeeeeeading buddy. His name is Jaaaaack. He is a loooooobster. He lives on Veeeeenus and sometimes goes to Mer...Mer-ker-ee to warm up. 'Cause Mer-ker-ee is warmer than Venus, you know?  And trust me.  You'd really like him! He's niiiiiiiiice."

I burst into giggles.

Me: "Colin, why on earth are you talking like that?"

Colin: "Well, usually when Cameron doesn't understand things, you talk really slow and make your words.....like....longer, or.....or something....I just thought if I did that too, it might help you understand about Jack a little better!"