She's so sweet, she makes me cry even harder

So, you all remember the post about Knuffle Bunny Free, right? The book I can't read without crying? Well, Rachel insisted that I read it tonight and I really, really let go. (With enough repetition, I'm sure my senses will eventually be dulled to the point that I can get through it with nary a tear, but we are not at that point yet).

"Why are you crying, Mommy?" Rachel said.
"Because this book is sad," I sobbed.
"It's not sad," Rachel protested.
"Yes it is!" I said.
"Why is it sad?"
"Because the litte girl grows up and goes AWAY!"
"I won't go away," Rachel promised.
"Yes, you will," I said. "You'll go away to college, and then you'll forget about me."
"I can take a taxi," she said soothingly.

Well, why didn't I think of that? I could only laugh.

***

A few minutes later I was getting her into her pajamas and told her I loved her. And then she said this totally out of the blue:
"No one can take away your daughter."
Stunned, I mumbled something about her going to college.
"I won't go to college," she said cheerfully.
"Oh, yes you will," I said.
"Mommy and Daddy can take me to college," she replied.
"Yes," I replied, already planning the trip back East in my head. "We can drive and make a lot of cool stops along the way. Or we can take a plane. Or a train! And then we'll drop you off and we'll cry."

***

Earlier tonight, on the way home from preschool, we passed the Saturday Market (not to be confused with the farmer's market every Saturday; Saturday Market is an artisan market that is a great source for holiday and birthday gifts). I told her that maybe we can all go when the weather gets cooler and we're looking for holiday gifts for Valerie and Grandma and Grandpa...
"We can get Grandma a beautiful book," she said.
"Yes, we could," I replied.
"And Gradndpa a toy bridge," she said. "And maybe a car!"
So, Grandma and Grandpa...hope you enjoy your gifts. Especially the new Lexus that Rachel has suggested we buy you.

***

Rachel likes to talk about when she was a baby, and also when Drew and I were her age. Tonight she asked me, "Mommy, when you were my age, what did you carry?" (this referred to Knuffle Bunny). I honestly don't remember, I told her. Probably some dolls.

Tonight she turned the tables on me. At dinner she announced, "A long time ago when you were a baby, I used to swaddle you and I gave you a baby rattle. And you wore jammies with salad dressing on them."

Um, yeah.

***

Another totally unexpected suggestion from Rachel this evening:

"Maybe when it gets really really really really really really hot, we can go to Kalamazoo!"
"Why Kalamazoo, Rachel?" I asked.
"It's in the city," she replied.

Guess that makes sense only in Rachel-land.