Car Talk

The conversations in our van are quite funny these days. Gus sits in the third row now that we have Judson. Lucy gets car sick, so we didn't want to put her all the way back there. Lucy and Gus can't see eachother anymore, so if it's been quiet for too long, Lucy will yell, "GUS!" to see if he's awake. Gus can't hear everything that's happening in the front, especially when the air conditioning is on high, so he'll yell, "What talking 'bout Wucy?" Lucy usually tells him her version of the conversation that he's missing.

After we dropped my mom off yesterday from running errands, Lucy said, "What do I (she did say 'I') think I'll be when I grow up? Will I have to go to college?" She's been very against the concept of college for the past six months. We have a weekly debate over it, literally. I tell her that even though I work (for hugs and diapers, not a paycheck) at home, I had to go to college. In my mind I have to add some value to my two degrees, that they're not just nice posters in the kitchen. The whole thought of leaving home scares her. Then she said, "Can I go to kindergarten twice?" I explained that she gets to go to first grade after kindergarten. Her eyes lit up and asked what was after that. Then I went through every grade until 12th grade and said then she gets to go to college. I said she could choose any school she wants and can decide what she wants to study. Lucy said, "I want to be a soccer girl. Can I be a soccer girl at college?" When I told her she could, her eyes lit up even more. Then I asked what she would study, she said, very confidently, "Elephants." I said, "Perfect. Then you can go to UNC and we can have tea every Friday." She got very excited and said, "I can't wait to go to college. I will learn about elephants, be a soccer girl, and have tea all the time." I wish college will be like that for her!

The college conversation was nearly through when we passed the church on the corner by our house. She noticed the cross for the first time. Her pre-school teacher taught her that when she sees a cross that's supposed to remind her that Jesus died for her. I still think that's way too much information for a three year old, but that's what we get when she goes to religious pre-school. Here's nearly verbatim what she had to say about it (when Lucy talks, she doesn't typically wait for a response, she keeps talking until it all gets out, then she expects us to respond):
"Did you see that cross Mommy? That reminds me that Jesus died for me at Easter. But that's okay, he only died for a few days. He missed the Easter bunny, though, didn't he Mommy? He didn't get any Easter eggs, either. I bet he was really sad he missed the Easter bunny and didn't get Easter eggs. Don't you think Jesus was sad? GUS! Are you awake?"

I had no words. I was trying so hard to stifle my laughter. The best I could come up with was, "I'm sure Jesus was sad he missed the Easter bunny and the Easter eggs. I bet he would have really liked them."