O got a set of army guys for Christmas.  He played with them today in his room which is now going to be a playroom (his suggestion since he sleeps in L’s room with her).  For bedtime reading he chose a Curious George story: Curious George Goes to a Toy Shop.  On the last page, after having helped the customers reach toys too high on the shelves, George becomes an official toy store worker complete with a toy shop apron to wear.  I said as we closed the book, “And now George has an apron.  He is an employee there.” which inspired O to ask what an employee is.  Dada is an employee at PNC, I explained, he works for PNC.

O: And he was an employee of the Army?

H: Yes

O: When I am big, I’m going to be in the Army, too.

H: {heart breaks a little} Really?  You could be a doctor or inventor or artist or writer.

O: No, I’m going in the Army.

H:  If that will make you happy, O…but you know, in the Army they tell you when to go to bed and what to wear and sometimes what you can eat.

O:  Do they have gravy in the Army?

H:  What?  Oh, yes, they have gravy there. {One Sunday we ate out and S ordered some biscuits with gravy…he learned to like it in the Army, he told us.}

O: Gravy rhymes with Navy.

H: Yes.  {A story we read today was about the Minoans and the original navy}

O: Are there different navys?

H: No, just the one in the water.

O:  I mean the color navy.

H:  Hmmm.  Yeah, I think there are different shades of navy.

The conversation meandered.  He has such a great memory.  He really listens and takes it all in.  Smart and cute, in one little package.