3 year olds

....don't bother with the sugar coating. They give it to you straight. You will always know what they are thinking, because they have NO filter.

We were in Target this evening and the young boy checking us out had an earring. And not just any earring, one of those big round things that I think is supposed to stretch out the ear lobe for some unknown reason. As he was scanning and bagging, Mary McLean of course takes notice of this unusual sight.

MM: Mommy, what's that in that boy's ear?
-at which point, I chance a conspicuous glance up at him to see what she is talking about, then I pretend I don't hear her (which is crazy because I think the people 2 registers down heard her), hoping that she just drops it and finds something more interesting. No such luck.
MM: Mommy, what is in that boy's ear?
Me: An earring
I go back to loading bags into the cart for our quick escape
MM: Why does he have an earring? Earrings are for girls?
Me: ignoring
MM: Earrings are for girls, why does that boy have one?
Marc: Some boys have earrings Mary McLean (although you can sense the hidden meaning in his words. i.e.-Andrew, if you ever come home with something like that, I will rip your ear off your head myself)
MM: Why do boys wear earrings?
Marc: Because that's what they want to do
MM: But he looks like a girl. Mommy, he looks like a girl.
Me: Emma, are you singing "Twinkle, Twinkle"? (anything to distract this child from this boys unfortunate earlobes)
MM: He looks like a girl.

At this moment the card has been scanned, Marc has signed the signature pad, taken our receipts, and away we walk with our heads hung down in shame, chuckling to ourselves on the way out the door. It will be a while before we can show our faces in Target again.