Boys and Girls and Fashion

Sometimes, when we are driving somewhere, the kids like to discuss whose backpack is a smidge over the center line of the back seat. Sometimes, we ponder the Great Questions like, "If you could never sit or lie down, would you die?" And sometimes, we talk about girls and boys and crushes which are a pox upon the lives of elementary school kids. A few days ago, the pox issue came up when Miguel relayed that the worst part of his day was that someone started a rumor that he liked Anna*. Anna of all people! Smart, funny, sassy, cute, spunky Anna - the horror! One person told another and then someone asked him and he denied it but that person went ahead and told other people that it was true and before long Miguel and Anna were on the cover of Elementary Us Magazine with the caption: Is it love? Insiders say "yes"! My conversation with Miguel went something like this: Me (in calm parental mode): What's the big deal? You know the truth and that's all that matters.

Miguel (in hysterical 8 year old boy mode): But mom! What if the rumor spreads to another classroom and another and then everyone will think that I like Anna!

Me: Do you like Anna?

Miguel: Mom! NO, I don't like Anna.

Me: Last year I thought you kind of liked her.

Miguel: Last year, everyone put us together because they thought we were both funny. This year, she irritates me.

Me: This will pass. Do you have crushes on any girls or boys?

Miguel: I think I have a little bit of a crush on Sandra*.

Zeca: I thought maybe you had a crush on Bob*?

Miguel: No, we're just friends.

Me: People will forget about the Anna thing if you just act casual about it.

Then, there was a rare moment of silence and he came back with this...

Miguel: You know what's interesting mom? When you are a young kid, people think it's weird when you kiss a person who is a different gender than you and don't think anything about you kissing a person of the same gender. Like, if you're a boy and you hug a girl it's weird but it's fine to hug other boys. But when you are older, it's the opposite -  people think it's okay to hug people of a different gender but think it's weird if you hug and kiss someone who is the same gender as you are. That doesn't make sense.

...and then my heart burst into a million rainbows and a unicorn appeared in the street and we all rode towards a brighter tomorrow powered by love! Okay...there was no unicorn but my heart was full of love for my goofball of a kid because he is thinking about these things and taking note.

*Names changed to protect the innocent.

Speaking of gender and fashion...well, I guess we were speaking of gender more than fashion but aren't the two forever entwined? We haven't had a Fashion Friday in awhile so today we will take a look at some wizard fashion. Remember when I said I played Wizard101 with Miguel's character? Yeah, I have my own now and, yes, I still play as a guy. Here's a pic of me, Valkoor Winterhaven, with my best buddy, Fiona Ironsword. We'll see if Fiona outs herself in the comments.

Valkoor and Fiona have almost completed the game and are sporting grandmaster gear. Valkoor's ensemble is actually blue and Fiona is decked out in head to toe pink but the colors are off because the tower we were in was on fire. Please note our lovely pets - Lord Lily the colossus and Madame Lola the hydra. Don't we make a formidable pair?

Have a great weekend and may your clothing be lighter than chain mail!

P.S. Don't forget to make me a top Lezzy! Click here to nominate.