I love how Oliver won’t watch Elmo or any other kids’ show for more than five seconds, but he’ll sit and watch “Rick Steves’ Europe” with us for an entire TWENTY MINUTES. He’s only two years old and already well on his way to becoming as (charmingly) nerdy as his parents.

Me, watching Rick Steves wander around Spain and whining: “I want to go to Spain and Morocco. What do you think, Oliver? Do you want to go to Spain and Morocco?”

Oliver, his face lighting up: “Yes! ‘PAIN AND MOCCORO!”

Me, pointing to the tv: “That building is a church. It’s very tall and the windows are waaaay up high.”

Oliver watched quietly for a few moments, then asked: “Odder touch the church?”

Me, smiling: “I promise I will take you to Spain so you can touch the church.”

Oliver, excitedly: “Go to ‘PAIN and touch the CHURCH!”

Then he jumped off the couch, ran across the room, and paused at the entrance to the hallway. “Need to put on SHOES!” he hinted to me.

Me, laughing at his sweet spontaneity: “Oh, honey, I’m sorry… we can’t go to Spain right NOW—because, uh…” (pointing to the window in a flash of Brilliant Parental Reasoning) “…it’s dark outside. But we’ll go another day, ok?”

Oliver, running back to the couch to sit between me and George: “Ok. Anuvver day.”

Me, hugging him: “I can’t wait.”

There’s nothing like a two-year old to make you wonder why, exactly, you can’t pack up and go to ‘Pain tonight just to touch a church. It’s a beautiful idea, isn’t it? He can’t understand finances or obligations; he does, however, understand that we go to sleep when it’s dark outside. So for him, reality can wait. I want him to think anything is possible, at least until bedtime.