Conversation with a (newly) 4 year old

Hallie: I decided I'm going to have six children when I grow up.

Me: Six?? Didn't you just tell me yesterday that you want two?

Hallie: Yes, I thought so, named Nayva and Colin Skeleton Dennis Ralston. But I think it would be more greater to have six.

Me: Why six?

Hallie: Because then when I'm gone they can just work around the house!

Me: Oh really?? Is that how that works? Well, I've got two children, do you think they could work around the house for me?

Hallie: (sigh) No Mommy, because there's only two of us, so we would get lonely. Six would be more better because they would keep each other company.

Me: (silent laughter)

Hallie: And I'm going to have teenagers. Six teenagers. (emphasis on the "ee"; i.e. teeeenagers)

Me: (interrupting) Wait, are they going to be born as teenagers, or born as babies and grow into teenagers?

Hallie: They're going to be born teenagers.

Me: Oh my...how's that going to work?

Hallie: Well, Jesus is just going to have to figure that out.

Me: (seriously confused, wondering if Jesus is now one of the teenagers) How is Jesus involved in this??

Hallie: (long-suffering sigh) Because that's who made me, Mommy...did you forget about that part?

Good Lord, have I really not written a single word since the year began?? How is this possible?? Perhaps I only have so much creative energy, and since I've been focusing on painting more, the writing retreated meekly into a dusty corner.

Well, don't know if that's going to change that much, but Hallie did just make me chuckle enough to want to share it...and did I mention that she's going to turn 4 next month, and I'm pretty sure I didn't authorize such a step?? Where are my babies going??

Okay, so current funniness:

Hallie asks what that white line in the sky was, and I explain what little I know about skywriters and their smoke trails. She then looks pensive, and wistfully states, "I wish I could be a person who takes other people for rides in airplanes when I grow up."

I am delighted by such an out-of-the-box aspiration from my girly-girl, who until that moment was pretty much stuck on being a princess, which, as near as she could tell, was totally achievable once she'd found the right accessories. I am now barraged by images of a fearless young lady flying around the world, bold, daring, her own person, unfettered by society's conventions and expectations.

Me: "A pilot? You want to fly planes? That's a great thing to be!"

Hallie: "Yeah." (big sigh) "The only problem is, I just don't know what I'd wear."