Where are Sponge Bob's Ears?

This weekend was the first one in what literally felt like months that I was home Friday, Saturday, and Sunday.  It's wasn't really, but knowing that I will be home for the next few makes it feel like maybe there is finally a break in this crazy schedule I have been keeping.  Traveling for one reason or another on the weekends-I enjoy it, I am a hotel lover, but it gets old going weekend after weekend.  With that said, we started the weekend off super early with a unexpected pediatrician appointment for Miss Gigi at 8:00am, then Gymnastics immediately after that, then T-Ball practice immediately after that...by 1:00pm I felt like I needed to lay down, in the floor, of Kroger, and cry.  That whole taking care of two five year olds type of tired, that is a totally different type of tired than the taking care of the two newborns type of tired was (which I will go on record saying I NEVER want to do again), or the taking care of two 3 year olds type of tired was...taking care of two five year olds involves a LOT of question answering.  Here lies the problem.

After working all week long, my question answering skills are pretty much shot.  So, anyone who knows me will tell you that I am TOTALLY not above telling a "white lie" to my kids to get me through the day.  Saturday would be one of those days.   As we were in the midst of the mad dash between gymnastics and T-ball I realized that not many things are as funny as the conversation between two five year olds, never mind that they are brother and sister.  It started something like this..."hey Gigi, do you know why Sponge Bob doesn't have ears?"  Gigi:  "no".  Gigi:  "hey, Mom, where are Sponge Bob's ears?".  Me thinking what am I going to say, I pause for a moment and then say:  "well, he's spongy you know.  so, I think they are probably in those sponge holes".  They both then say "ahh, yeah probably".  Yes, score one for me.  Just as I am feeling pretty good about myself, Gigi says, "hey mom, you know our Elf, Shelby Cutie (our elf on the shelf from Christmas), do you think she shopped at an Elf Store for the stuff she brought us?"  Me, thinking this cannot be that hard, answers "yes".  Then, Gigi says "well, what about Toilet Paper?", Me:  "toilet paper? what about it?"  Gigi:  "well, do you think the Elf bought toilet paper and do you think the elves use toilet paper, you know, they way WE use toilet paper?"  I am thinking, really, did she ask me if the elf wipes itself?  Yes, she did.  I then muster up what I know and have made up about elves and say, "well, I am SURE that they do buy toilet paper at the elf store and they use it just the same as we do".  Gigi says:  "that's what I thought, I've been thinking about that for a while and been meaning to ask you".  That's my Gigi, the worrier, always thinking...

It was at this point that they asked for a CD to be put on and I was like "YES, great idea!".  I then began to think, at what point do we lose our innocence and stop worrying about things like a cartoon character's ears or an elf and start to really "worry" what is that turning point?  Some of us can remember that exact moment or "moment in time".  Some of us maybe not. Either way, when it happens it is sad.  Even though it is part of growing up, it is sad when it happens too soon.  So, I'll just keep making things up and telling the truth to my kids when it is absolutely necessary.  I'll keep shielding them from this horribly mean world for as long as I can because soon enough they will have to face it and although I'll always be by their side to pick them up when they fall-they shouldn't have to face it alone too soon.