Rachel makes Mommy laugh

So last night I was cuddling her close and telling her all the fun things we're going to do when Daddy comes home FOR GOOD this summer: Take walks after dinner, ride our bikes, get ice cream, go camping, sleep in a tent...

"And I clean my bedroom!" she exclaimed. I cracked up. She always gets this confused look on her face, as if she doesn't know whether I'm laughing at her or with her, or, indeed, what the hell is so funny anyway. Then she smiles tentatively as if to say, "yeah, I MEANT that." Which makes me laugh even more, of course.

***

"What did you do at school today, honey?" I asked her at dinner.
"Go in the preschool room," she said.
"Who did you play with?"
"Eva. I helped her find the baby."
"Really?"
"Yeah." And then she slid off her chair to demonstrate Eva's distress.
"Where's the baby where's the baby where's the baby?!?!?" she exclaimed, pretending to rummage through a shelf where the baby dolls presumably live. "And I get it for her."
Her conclusion: "Eva's little."

***

I was singing "Dayenu" (which Rachel refers to as "the Passover song," when she interrupted me. "Hotsi is my FAVORITE part," she said. (As in, Elu hotsi hotsi anu...etc.).
"What's YOUR favorite?" she asked.
"Um, Shabbas," I hedged. "(Elu hotsi hotsi anu hotsi anu Et Hashabas....)
"What's Daddy's favorite?" she said.
"I don't know, honey," I answered. "You'll have to ask him."
She thought about it.
"Shabbas too!" she said. So, Drew, you need to choose a favorite part of the song because she'll ask you when you come home for a visit next week.

***

Mini-milestone tonight: She set the table AND cleared it after dinner, INLCUDING Mommy's salad bowl, without a whimper of complaint. In fact, tonight was one of the most perfect ones we've had (minus the whining and crying when Mommy didn't give her cheddar bunnies, a new snack she adores. Guess how I'm spending my evening tomorrow? Buying a box of cheddar bunnies. Hey, they're organic and semi-nutritional and she eats them, so I'm not complaining. Much).