My heart isn’t ready for this

We were at Heidi’s house last night and my two boys were playing with her three girls while I got my baby fix holding the little Hutch-ster (sorry, just made that one up on the fly). The big kids were entertaining themselves running around the outside of the house (literally running in one big circle all the way around the house – we seriously need to get a house with an unhindered circular pathway for running, it’s awesome, apparently). After a while we heard conversation from the little cherubs about kissing… um, hold up a minute… Heidi and I looked at each other with our eyebrows raised and asked for a little clarification about exactly what they were talking about and what game they were playing. Liam explained that they were chasing each other and giving kisses, “You know, like a marriage game.” We were at a loss for how to explain to them that they shouldn’t be kissing each other since kissing isn’t necessarily a bad thing, just probably not an appropriate activity for five-year-old friends. We also had to laugh that they equate kissing to marriage (that’s right kids, don’t kiss anyone who you aren’t married to… just like we did!).

Then Liam piped up and said that a girl from his class had kissed a boy from his class – even though his teacher had told them they weren’t supposed to kiss each other. Oh my lands. Here, of course, is where I really shouldn’t be surprised because I remember that I had my first crush in kindergarten on Blaine Guest (such a dreamy name – I’m not even going to google him to find out what he’s doing with his life, couldn’t stand to have my illusion shattered), a crush which was formed after he came to my house for a play date and the next day he gave me a heart-shaped pencil-topper eraser (which I may still have squirreled away in a box somewhere). He was the boy we kindergarten girls chased around the playground and tried to kiss. So the apple doesn’t fall too far from the tree, amiright?

On our way home, Liam and I had a little conversation about who it was appropriate to be kissing on the lips (for the record, we settled on just mommy, daddy and grandparents). Other people we can give hugs to and I was quick to explain to him that if anyone doesn’t like how he is showing them affection, then he needs to stop. This whole subject is not one I was prepared for, my little boy is growing up!

But Ava and Liam are certainly smitten with each other. I’m not sure if Ava has elbowed Keila out of pole position in Liam’s heart, but he didn’t stop talking about her and how much fun he had all evening.

Now I just have to talk with his teacher about this kissing problem in the classroom during rest time(!). [Okay, let’s be honest, I probably won’t be talking to her because I am not that parent, but I will be grilling Liam about it a little bit more.]