The boys, Sophie and I (The Husband was working, as usual) sat down to spaghetti and tomato sauce, buttered bread and salad last night. Sophie had had a not so good day and was all quivery and jerky from too many seizures. It was difficult to feed her and difficult to watch her, difficult to wipe the drool from her mouth and stay calm and centered. We managed.
Oliver: Do you think Sophie will ever get married?
Me: Hmmm. Probably not.
Oliver: Why not?
Me: Well, I think it would be hard for her to be married. She'll probably be with us for a long time or maybe with a group of people a bit like her.
Oliver: Well, then I hope she does get married. Do I have to get married?
Me: No. You don't have to get married. You only get married if you fall in love with someone and want to be with them for the rest of your life (Jesus, Mary and Joseph, that sounds crazy, right?).
Oliver: Oh, OK. Then I could be married to my friend Tim.
Me: Really? Do you think you'd get married to Tim?
Oliver: I could, couldn't I? Two men can get married, right?
Me: Absolutely. But usually two men get married because they're gay and then they're attracted to each other and not to women.
Oliver: Can I marry an animal? (the social conservatives are rubbing their hands together!)
Me: No, why?
Oliver: Yes, I can! Because we're animals, right? Human animals!
Again...that boy...he's like a walking miracle of logic. I never get tired of hearing his stuff.
ReplyDeleteSuch wonderful and uplifting conversations. They take some of the edge off the pain. Your boys are so wonderfully compassionate.
ReplyDeleteI'd love to come for dinner and conversation!
ReplyDeleteBest,
Bonnie
I love it!
ReplyDeleteI hope my 2 year old ends up just like Oliver. He sounds fantastic!
ReplyDeleteYou have met (or created) your match. What a mind.
ReplyDeleteI love Oliver.
ReplyDeleteI had a similar conversation with my son when he was young...I frankly was tongue tied for all the silliest of reasons. My daughters never once asked if they could marry a girl..kids hear and see so much more than we realize and it wakes us parents up to knowing we have to be open and prepared for all the questions we might get asked. This was also during the same time I was trying to tell my son it didn't sound right to call me "One hot mama"...I have no idea where that got started!
ReplyDeleteI love that
ReplyDeletemakes perfect sense
Oh, gosh, I miss these kinds of family conversations.
ReplyDeleteI love your kids, and I am so glad that you share these conversations with us since I live too far away to be there when they occur. And I'm so sorry that life is so hard for Sophie right now. xoxo
ReplyDeleteI would love to have dinner at your house.
ReplyDeletefabulous! I love him.
ReplyDeleteCan Oliver marry Ruby? Or Abe? Either one...
ReplyDeleteps. When Abe was two he said "When I grow up Oscar's going to be my husband" I remember crying when he said that, knowing already that Oscar would never get married, and thinking that those words would someday embarrass Abe. But when I read that quote to Abe yesterday we all just laughed and appreciated his sweetness.
Ha! I love it. See, when Jude asked me if two men could get married I launched into a political diatribe about Prop 8, and I bored him so much he stopped asking.
ReplyDeleteToo funny:)
ReplyDeleteAh, yes. What a perfect post. And people think motherhood is easy?
ReplyDeletetough to beat his logic:)
ReplyDelete