Conversations with a 4-year-old

Today the conversation in the car with my 4 year old son, went something like this:
Son: "What do ladybugs eat?'
Mom: "I don't know (pause) ... oh wait, aphids.  (What can I say!  Mom's tired.) Ladybugs eat aphids, that's why we put them in the garden.  We put ladybugs in the garden to eat the aphids, so the aphids don't eat the flowers."
Son: "When ladybugs are yellow, then they turn red and we can touch them, and put them on our finger?"
Mom: "Yep."  (I'm guessing, I don't know about the yellow ladybug part.)
Son: "Then they can climb our arm."
Mom: "Yep."
Son: (something about butterflies)
Mom: "Do you know that some butterflies eat meat?" (avoiding the explanation about what carrion is)
Son: "HUH!" (surprised) "What do the ones that eat meat look like?"
Mom: "I don't know."
(pause)
Mom: "Can Mommy sing her song now on the radio?  Its one of my favorites."
Son: "No.  I want to talk about something you want to talk about."
Mom: (thinking ... okay, how about you getting dressed in the morning without an argument.... but before I can get the words out...)
Son: "Aphids ....(something)".
Mom: "Do you know that worms eat dirt and poop it out?  They are good for our garden."
Son: "Gross...."

Yesterday the conversation in the car with my son, was:

Son: "Why does God give us real food?" "Why does God give us real food and fake food?"

Mom: "Well, our bodies need real food to live."

Son: "And fake food?"

Mom: "So, we have toys to play with."

(pause)

Son: "Mom, does Heavenly Father need the sun?"

Mom: "Uh... well, He likes the sun.  He made it for us, because we need it.  Not sure if he needs it."

Son: "Does Jesus?"

Mom: "He likes it, too.  Still not sure He needs it."

Son: "Well I don't!!! (as he shields his eyes from the morning sun)

Mom: (Ah!  Now I know where this is coming from!)

Son: "I want it to be dark all the time!"

Mom: "But if its dark all the time, we can't go outside and play."

Son: "Yes we can, if Jesus says so."

Mom: "What about if Mom and Dad say, 'No'?"

Son: "We can if Jesus says so."

This is the part/age that I've always looked forward to.  The part where he is thinking and speaking, and I get to hear what he's thinking.  I don't know how long this period will last --- how long before he decides his mother isn't worth the effort to communicate with, but I love it for as long as it lasts.  Random, creative, curious, and innocent.  And sweet.  Conversations with a 4-year-old.