Kids Are So Smart

I love bedtime for one major reason: Talking to the girls. I absolutely love to hear their take on the day, their lives, and their views on the world around us. Tonight, sadly, Reese fell asleep early, but I still got a chance to enjoy this conversation with Avery. I wish that I could accurately portray her facial expressions and tone of voice. The bottom line that you need to remember as you read is this: She thinks she knows everything and that I know nothing. She is very sure of herself and extremly matter-of-fact in just about everything she says. It makes for hilarious "adult-like" conversations with 5-year-old mispronunciations and misguided viewpoints. I love it.

Me: So, tell me something awesome about school today.
Avery: I think, the Texas Wedgie. (She told me earlier today that she learned that a Texas Wedgie was where someone grabs your underwear and pulls it over your head. Ahhhh, school. They learn so many important things.)
Me: (slightly sarcastic) Yeah, that's a good one. I sure am glad you're learning so much.
Avery: Yeah. But I don't like sitting on the carpet so much.
Me: I guess that can get kind of boring sometimes. But just think about how much you learn when you are sitting on the carpet. That's some of the best learning time.
Avery: Yeah, but I already know the days. I know today is Tuesday.
Me: Tuesday, what?
Avery: January, twenty, um....
Me: Twentieth. Right. Do you know about something important that happened today?
Avery: Oh, yeah, I already know.
Me: What?
Avery: We got a new president.
Me: Hey, that's right! That's great, Babe.
Avery: (With a very disappointed, "sorry about your loss" look on her face) Yeah, 'cept our president is Rock Obama.
Me: I know, Honey. That's a good thing.
Avery: No Mom! That's not who we picked. I wanted John McCain to win. So did Charlie. He said this (thumbs down) to Rock Obama.
Me: Well, that's not nice at all. He's the president and we should be respectful. It's like if you and Daddy wanted to watch Batman and Me, Reesie and Rhett picked Barbie. You'd still watch Barbie and have fun at Family Movie Night, right? Well, it's the same with the president. We thought McCain would do better, but we still like Obama.
Avery: Oh, yeah. But, Mom? Rhett would never vote Barbie.
Me: Yes, I know. I was just trying to explain voting.
Avery: I know about it. We had to watch a video of Rock Obama. It was sooooo boring. Nobody liked it. But there was one lady on there who was really funny. She was yelling and being silly. She said "ROCK OBAMA ROCKS!" I did laugh at that. But that's all. I didn't like the other stuff.
Me: I thought it was boring too. I didn't watch it all day. It's alot of stuff, for sure. But, I think we can be happy that Obama is the president. We have to wish for good things.
Avery: Yeah. I do. I wish for good things. But I didn't pick him.



The most shocking part of this whole conversation, for me, was the fact that Avery can't remember to wipe herself, but she knows McCain's first name is John.