The heart wants what the heart wants.

zj: "Mama, can I live with you and Daddy forever?"

Me: "Well, someday, you're probably going to want to have your own house."

zj: "But Mama, I want to live here with you and Daddy in this house."

Me: "Don't you think that someday, a really long time from now, when you grow up, you'll want to maybe live in your own house?  You might want to get married and have your own little boy some day."

zj: "Mama, why do people get married?"

Me: "People get married because they love each other, and they want to spend the rest of their lives together."

zj: "Mama, why did you and Daddy get married?"

Me: "Mama and Daddy got married both times because we love each other."

zj: Mama, why do you and Daddy love each other?"

Me: "Well, Mama loves Daddy because he is nice and smart and because he loves Mama back.  I  think Daddy loves Mama for all those same reasons."

zj: "But why does Daddy love you and not somebody else?"

Good question...

Me: "Well, we don't really get to choose who we love and who loves us back.  It's like we can't help who our heart loves."

zj: "Mama, what does 'can't help' mean?"

Me: "It's like something that you can't control."

zj: "Oh, like when I'm naughty and you tell me to control myself better?"

Me: "Yeah, something like that."

zj: "Mama, can you help it that you love me and Cooper and Daddy?"

Me: "Well, I like that I love you and Cooper and Daddy.  I don't want to help it."

zj: "Well, I don't want to get married.  Ever."

Me: "That's fine, too.  Some people don't want to get married and that's perfectly ok."

zj: "Is it because they can't help it?"

Me: "No, I think it's because they choose to."

zj: "But Mama, you just said we don't get to choose."

Me: "Well, what I meant was that we don't get to choose if we love someone or not, but I guess we can choose if we decide to marry them or not.  I think."

zj: "Mama, I choose to never ever get married so I can stay here and live with you and Daddy and Cooper forever."

Me: "I think that's a great idea."