The 4-year-old mind

We're driving to school this morning and I'm thinking about the ordinary stuff -- did I remember extra socks for Molly's cubby, etc. -- and only half paying attention to Molly telling me that actually, for real, people in California are awake while we sleep. Somehow this leads to such questions as "Mommy, how does the sun move?" Then, "How does the moon move? How do the stars move? How does the Earth move? Can airplanes fly over water? How? What if there was an airport in the water?" Fortunately when I mentioned aircraft carriers that sent her off thinking out loud about how boats would bring the planes to a dock and people would walk off onto land. Phew!! It's not easy to keep up with a conversation with a 4-year-old.

Molly has had a lot of questions lately about where things come from. In the car the other day she wanted to know where all the trees came from and how there got to be so many. Another time she wanted to know where sheep come from. When we told her they came from other sheep she asked, but where did the first sheep come from? During snack yesterday she asked, detective-like, "When Daddy built the work bench in the basement, what did he build the work bench on?"

It's especially funny when one of these deep questions pops out because a good portion of the words coming out of Molly's mouth lately are gibberish and random phrases. The other day we were looking out the window at a woodpecker in our yard and Molly shouted, "Sweet mango!!!! Goober peas!!!" and on and on. I wish I remembered more of them.

Anywho....

My mom came out to visit, oh, two weeks ago? (stale blog news, sorry). We went to Boston just to walk around. And walk we did! We walked all the way from the aquarium to the public garden, stopping along the way for lunch, ice cream, water fountains, a playground, police horses and nesting swans. Then, like magic, the subway whisked us back to where we started (thank goodness, because none of us had any energy left!)

Molly visits the harbor seals outside the aquarium.

The swans are making a nest in the background of this photo. Molly didn't notice or care.

Neither did Kate. She was just glad to be out of the stroller.

Molly and Grandma watching the swan boats.

Back at the aquarium, looking at the boats. What a beautiful day!

Molly has a new best friend in the neighborhood, the little girl across the street who is only two months older. It's funny because they were in playgroup together and have know each other since they were toddlers but just noticed each other about three weeks ago. Most days after school now they arrange their own play dates (long, involved conversations with many trips into their respective houses to check with Mom about details) and either ride bikes and scooters on the sidewalk or play inside at either house.

Then at 3:20 Molly runs after Teddy's dad as he walks to the bus stop to get Teddy. Molly has been going with him (whenever we're home and she remembers) for many months. And for quite a while Teddy has refused to play with her. He (understandably) just wants to go inside and relax after school, especially now that he's into video games.

His dad has recently taken pity on Molly and tried very hard to get Teddy to play. No luck. We did lure him over a few times when made a balance beam out of a board and two buckets, but even that only goes so far with a kindergartener -- especially when Molly's bossy about who can set it up and what can be done on it.

Usually the closest she gets to playing with Teddy is at the house across the street. Her new friend has an older brother exactly Teddy's age. All four kids run around the front yard. A few days ago the mailman stopped to hand-deliver each child the mail and then gave them lollipops. I saw them out the window like this, sitting down to eat.

I love how kids these days are always wearing helmets, even when they're not on bikes. It's just too much trouble to take them off, I guess, when you're not riding.