This Guy......

is Daddy.  (And I call him babe and tell him that I love him like a fat kid loves cake--thank you 50 Cent for your song 21 Questions).

Today we were walking into the grocery store and Georgia had her Minnie Mouse doll tucked under her arm.  We'd left Elmo back in the car.  Out of the blue she said, "Elmo is Minnie's boyfriend."

"What does that mean?" I asked (all the while thinking, I am going to have words with whoever introduced this concept to my TWO year old)


"It means they are friends, like I'm friends with Parker."

Sigh of relief. 


"But sometimes you love your friends that are boys."

Hesitantly. "Right.  That could be true."I wanted to launch into a definition of platonic love.....but it was windy, my purse was slipping down my shoulder and a student driver almost hit us......so I refrained. 

"But the only boy that I love is Daddy."

Feeling totally grounded once again, "Of course you do!  He's the best guy to love isn't he?"

"He is super cool, and I can't wait for him to come home tomorrow." (He's in Brazil for work).

"I can't wait either G.  It's going to be fantastic!"

And that little conversation really struck me.  We don't always get such transparent glimpses into a toddlers little brain.  I think sometimes we believe they aren't really thinking about things that deeply, that their thoughts revolve around Barney, mac and cheese, why they can't color with markers, and how they can get out of a nap--but those little minds are at work.  Georgia talks A LOT for a two year old so I'm lucky to be able "see" (or hear) a little more clearly into her ideas than the typical two year old's mother.

And what this little rushed conversation in the middle of a windy, wet, and busy parking lot told me is that our kids are thinking about relationships and the significance of them.  They can detect when a relationship is healthy or strained, loving or spiteful, meaningful or casual, or life-changing--like Georgia's relationship is with her daddy.  He's her guy.  Her only one.  He's Elmo to her Minnie.

I'm thankful for him everyday......for so many reasons (our anniversary is coming up--I'll fill you in more then) but today I was thankful that he's the only boy that Georgia loves.  He's her boyfriend and the way he treats her is teaching her everyday how another boy........way down the road......should treat her too.