Yup, They're Still X-tremely Innocent

There are moments in parenting when I feel like these kids are getting too old too fast. When the things they say are so adult-like that I need to resist the urge to lock them in their rooms and not let them out until they're twenty five.

Like when Theo uses the word loquacious in conversation. Or when he sits in the backseat of the car, pondering the laws of physics out loud. And, thank goodness, answering his own questions because god knows his mommy is pretending she's too absorbed in the rigors of driving to give solid, scientifically proven answers.

Or when Ben says things like, "Mom, have your peeps call Jacob's peeps so he can come over." Or when he exclaims, "WOMAN, what am I gonna do with you??" when I forget to bring snacks in the car. (By the way, he is about the ONLY man who can get away with calling me 'woman'.)

And then there are the moments that remind us that they are still really, really little boys.

Like the conversation at dinner the other night. We were talking about movies, and what ages Eric and I were when we first saw a PG movie. (I was 9, and it was "The Champ" with Barbara Steisand and Robert Redford. I'm pretty sure the only good thing about the movie was that it was rated PG and I was there with my friend Sheri, without any parents.)

Anyway, the kids were asking about the different ratings and why they rate movies the way they do. They are very intrigued by the possibilities that may be contained in an R-rated movie, and are pretty sure that it's exactly the kind of adult language and violence that they'd like to see.

Of course, Ben piped up wondering, if an R-rated movie has that kind of potential, what could POSSIBLY be in an X-rated movie. Mom? Dad? Have you ever seen one? Hmm? Are they REALLY violent? Like, what KIND of violence??????

Yeah. Where do you go with this one?

We coughed, took an extra long time to chew and swallow our food, tried not to look at each other, covered our mouths with napkins so as not to reveal the grins, and basically just stalled as long as we could.

Or at least until Theo could chime in, wide-eyed, and say, "Ben, they are SO violent and have SO MUCH bad language that there's nothing else in the movie but that. You don't even want to see one because it would be so scary."

Amen and hallelujah.

Both satisfied with that answer, they finished their dinners and ran outside.