The Wheels are Turning in Arlo's Head

Arlo is a thinker. He thinks so much and so intricately I am left dumfounded at times. He is sorting this world out, trying to link like to like and make sense of life.

On our trip this week, he had some really great questions. His first was "Mom, can a boy and a boy get married if they are grown up?" to which my answer was an unqualified, "Yes." (I felt no need to impart all of the details to him, his question was very straightforward and so was my answer, plus we were in Massachusetts at the time!) Then Arlo said, "But is one of them beautiful then and the other one is just regular, or are they both beautiful, or both regular?" I asked him what he thought. He said, " I think one of them is beautiful." I nodded and gave him a hug.

On the drive home, somewhere between Ohio and Indiana Arlo asked me "If two people, who were grown-ups, could live together if they weren't married?" I asked if he meant grown ups who were in love or just people who share a house. He said people that are in love. I said "Yes" and he was back to playing his game. Why he thinks of these things at random times in the day amazes me. If my mom wasn't there to witness it, I would think that I was hallucinating. I love to watch him taking the world and fitting it into the slots in his mind. I love to help him sort through the process, I love that his thoughts are so genuine and free of any judgement, he is just sorting it all out. I love watching my children grow and learn.

His other comment, was rather funny, and came while watching a veggie tales movie. Riding in the back of the van he said in such an adult voice, "Mom, you won't believe what I just seen!" My eyebrows raised and he answered while slapping his hand down on his leg, "A girl with no boobs." I guess he is sorting it all out. I just let that one go for the day, I felt we had covered some good ground already for a four year old.

Isn't he just squeezable! (We went to the ocean and Arlo dumped some 40 degree water on his head in 60 degree weather. He loved it right through the shivering and pain.)