Sometimes, 4 year olds have interesting conversations

Stick with this.  It's fascinating.

Last night, when I picked Gracie and Lukie up from Abue Rosi's house, the following conversation occurred from the backseat of my car.

Lucas: "Mommy, where does lava come from?"

Me: "Volcanoes."

Lucas: "Where are the volcanoes?"

Me: "Oh, lots of places.  There are some in Hawaii.  You can walk right next to them."

Lucas: "Mommy, where does lava come from?"

Me: "Hmmm.  That's an in-TER-esting question. It comes from underneath the ground.  It comes up through the volcanoes to the land."

Lucas: "But why does it come up?"

Me: "Well, it comes up to make new ground for us to live on and grow things."

Lucas: "To grow things and live on the lava?"

Me: "Yes, but we don't live on the lava when it is hot.  We can live on the land after it gets cooler and the lava moves away."

Gracie: "Mommy, I don't want to live on lava.  I don't want to be like that man."

Me: "What man?"

Gracie: "Remember, Lukie?  That man who fell in the lava?  And it burned his legs?"

Lucas: "Oh, yeah!  Remember he fell in the lava and it burned his legs and the mean man came and took him and turned him into a robot?"

Me: "Wait, what?"

Gracie: "The man who fought the other man and then he fell in the lava and then a man came with a space ship and took him to a place where they turned him into a robot.  Remember, Mommy? He was a mean man! And then, remember the other man fought with him and the mean guy in the black with the scary face shooted lightening at the other man and the robot man picked him up and threw him over the side like this? Whoosh!"

Me: "What are you nuts talking about?"

Lucas: "Remember, Mommy? The robot guy.  What's his name? He's scary and tall and the other man takes off his mask and he's not mean any more?"

Me: "Are you talking about Darth Vader?"

Lucas: "Yeah!  That's it, Mommy!  Remember Darth Vader fell in the lava and it burned his legs and the mean man who shoots lightening out of his hands finds him and turns him into a robot? I don't want to fall in the lava and have to be a robot."

Me: "Honey, you aren't going to fall in the lava.  First of all, I wouldn't let you get that close. Second of all, Darth Vader is in a movie.  It's Star Wars. Remember, Luke Skywalker? Movies are pretend.  Remember?"

Gracie: "So, we won't fall in the lava and get burned and have to have robot legs?"

Me: "No, Gracie, you won't."

Lucas: "Mommy, I don't want to go to Hawaii."

Me: "We aren't going to Hawaii.  Why don't you want to go to Hawaii?"

Lucas: "There's lava there and I don't want it to burn my legs."

Me: "Oh, Good Gravy. Lukie, the lava is not going to burn your legs and we aren't going to Hawaii, we are going to Mexico and where we are going in Mexico does not have any volcanoes and it doesn't have any lava. So you are safe."

Gracie: "Did you hear that, Lukie?  There aren't any volcanoes in Mexico and you won't burn your legs!  See, you don't have to worry!"

Lucas: "I don't want to be a robot like Darth Vader, Mommy."

Me: (sigh) "You won't, Lukie.  Darth Vader is just pretend."

Lucas: "Mommy?"

Me: "Yes, Lukie?"

Lucas: "Can Daddy beat up Darth Vader with his robot leg?"

Me: "Absolutely, honey.  Daddy can totally beat up Darth Vader."

Lucas: "Good. Daddy can beat up Darth Vader and I won't fall in the lava."

Me: "That's right."