Conversations with a Five Year Old

Bedtime tends to be the time when Logan really opens up and shares with me what he's thinking about.  I tuck his brothers in and return to him just before I leave the room to give him one last hug.  This is when it begins. Our deep conversations.

Last week he was talking about having children.  He told me he wasn't sure he wanted to have any children.  But as he was speaking he changed his mind.

"Well, I'll have one of each.  I guess.  But what should I name them?"

I suggested Bailey, our favorite girl name, and he said no.

I suggested Hadley and he liked that one.

I said what about Hadley Rochelle, after mommy? He made a face and said no.

Maybe Hadley Renee after Aunt Roxanne's middle name?

"Yeah, that one!" he said excitedly.

"And I'll name the other one Henry.  Like me."

So my future grandchildren will be named Henry & Hadley if Logan gets a say.

Then he asked,

"What if I stay little and you die?"

I told him, "Daddy will take care of you.  It would be sad, but you would be okay.  But mommy is healthy and isn't going to die for a long time."

---

Another night we were talking about living in Wasilla some day and Daddy buying us a house there.  He asked, "Will there be closets in our house in Wasilla?"

And I said, "Yes. Why?"

He said, "Because I have the perfect idea. That's where we can keep our toys! Oh, and I could finally get my imaginext robot dinosaur!"

And when I told him Wasilla has stores and a movie theater, he said, "Oh good. We can invite Roxanne and Ferris and Milo to come to the movies with us."

---

{Moses Lake Cemetery :: August 2013}

 Last night this is how our conversation began:

"How come when we go to the dead place, you know the place where all the dead people go, how come we can't step on their flat things?"

I responded, "It's called a cemetery, and well, you can step on them, nothing will actually happen.  But those are their name plates, their gravestones, and they are important to their family, so we don't step on them because it's not respectful."

{pause}

"But I don't understand. What do they do under there? When I die what will I do?  I know there aren't any toys under there."

I explained that when you die your body stays in the ground, but your spirit, who makes you who you are in your heart, goes to heaven to be with God and Jesus. That nothing bad happens there and it's wonderful and fun.

{Josh's baby sister Margaret's grave}

Then he asked,

"How come there were baby ones at that dead place?  Why do babies die?"

I said that I'm not sure why babies sometimes die.

"Does God make them die?"

"Well, I don't know, but when they do die, God takes care of them. I know that for sure."

"Well, I'm not going to die for a long time. Not for 2 thirties. Maybe not until I am one-zero-zero... But then I will be old. But I don't want to have a mustache.  I will shave mine off. And I won't have black hair."

Then he asked,

"How did Jesus die?"

"Some people killed him," I responded.

"Why?"

"They thought he was a liar.  They didn't believe he was God's son."

"But how could they not know God is real? They're grown ups!  Of course God is real."

---

After that he asked,

"Why are people fat?"

"Because they make bad choices like eating unhealthy food and not exercising."

"How come they make bad choices?"

"Maybe because they don't know better."

"But come on, they're grown ups!"

(His faith in grown ups is inspiring!)

"Well, maybe their moms didn't teach them," I said.

"Yeah, maybe they're dead," he reasoned.

***

I absolutely love talking to Logan. I love hearing what he thinks, what he wonders, what he worries about. I love to see things from his perspective. It fascinates me.

Logan is my justice keeper. He wants everything to be fair. He wants his brothers to listen, follow the rules and wait their turn, even if he's not willing to.  He constantly surprises me with his physical affection, and melts into a puddle of love if I hug him, squeeze his hand or kiss his head randomly.

He enjoys doing certain chores around the house.  Particularly cleaning the toilet, putting dishes in the sink, and windexing the windows.

He can play independently for hours at a time, making sound effects & calling out for super heroes.  He adores his Imaginext toys, loves all the Home Alone movies and his favorite show lately is Princess Sophia which surprises me.

Logan does amazingly well in school.  He is a hard worker and super smart.  His reading is really smooth and he always seems surprised when he reads an entire sentence on his own. Like he doesn't believe his own ability. 

If I could change one thing about Logan (for his sake and mine) I would make him a sleeper.  He would have such an easier time following directions and making good choices if he were getting enough sleep at night!

 He fell Tuesday afternoon, smashing his face and glasses on the stairs.  Then while I was trying to adjust his glasses back to fit his face, I busted the ear piece off, despite using a blow dryer to warm it and needle nose pliers as recommended by our optometrist.  Wednesday Josh tried to use a saudering gun to reattach it, but wasn't successful.  So yesterday morning I called our doctors' office (the second time in as many months) to request another set of glasses for these crazy boys of ours.

I was really upset with myself when I broke them, but Logan let me off the hook. "It's okay, mom," he said, "I forgive you. I know you didn't mean to do it." He was so sweet, even as he was on the verge of tears knowing he wouldn't have glasses for the next few weeks while we wait.

The good news is that both of his lenses are fine, so the price of these glasses was nearly 2/3 cheaper than Jack's replacement pair.  The frames should arrive in the next two weeks, and I'll slide his lenses in, and his sight will be restored.

After spending nearly $500 on glasses in the last two months I am suddenly not looking forward to having all three of our boys in glasses next year.  We're going to go broke giving these guys vision!

This morning I asked Logan what he wants to be when he grows up.

He looked at me and said, 

"I have no idea."

I guess his future is wide open!