Hear me Grow!

We were all happily chatting over dinner last night when Luke, in a very paternal voice, instructed us all to, "Be quiet, please! I'm trying to hear myself grow!" After a brief moment of silence, I asked him if he did indeed "hear himself grow" to which he matter-of-factly replied, "Well, it's hard to tell, but I think so."
Little does he know that his dad and I "hear him grow" every day when he uses phrases like, "I am absolutely famished" and as we watch him take care of his little sisters. In fact, just the other day, Livi woke up from her nap and was screeching at the top of her lungs for someone to come help her out of her bed. Ana, excited for a friend after two long hours of playing with "a boy," ran up the stairs to her little sister's aid. Olivia immediately began hollering as loud as her little lungs could for Ana to "Yeev me ayone, Ana!" Sad and dejected, Ana came trooping back down the stairs. Luke looked at me with those big blue eyes and said, "Mom, Livi really loves me. I'll go rescue her!" I could tell the second he walked into Livi's room because Livi, completely delighted, squeeked, "Heyooo, Yuuuke!" A few seconds and a big thud later, down they came hand in hand. So cute!
Luke is such a smart tender-hearted little guy. I can't imagine what I would do without him.