Are you happy very so much?

"Are you happy very so much?" Max wants to know. We are en route to see Despicable Me 3. Max already saw it with Dave, but liked it so much he wanted to go back. This time, I have the pleasure.

"Yes!" I tell him. "I'm excited to see it!"

Max beams at me. He's happy that I'm happy.

"Happy very so much" has been a Max phrase for several years now. I used to correct him, but I came to my senses because it is one of the more awesome things he's ever said.

You know how people always ask "How are you?" but often don't actually care to know? It's not like that with Max: What you hear is what you get. When he says "How are you?" he truly wants to know. And when he asks if you are happy, he really, really wants you to be happy.

It's funny, Max never uses those words to describe himself. He'll just say "I'm happy!" or "I'm excited!" or "That's awesome!" But this boy has the biggest heart. And so, he doesn't just want me to be happy—he would like me to be happy very so much.

Max asked me the question again this weekend when he I told him that a couple of old college friends were coming to visit: "Are you happy very so much?"

"Yes!" I said. "They are my friends, it makes me happy to be with them."

He smiled.

Are the words childlike? Sure. But the effect is ageless. Few things make people feel as warm and sunny as knowing that someone genuinely cares about their state of contentment.

This boy of mine is looking out for other people's well being. Way to go through life! It makes me seriously happy, very so much.