Rachel's world

"I'm Princess Baby Unicorn," Rachel announced to me this morning as she climbed into bed to cuddle while Drew took a shower. "And you're Queen Mommy, and Daddy is King Daddy. And if you want anything, you can call, 'Sophieeee!' and I'll come right to you!"

***

Rachel said she thought that Minty, a light green pony in the "My Litte Pony" series, would want to wear underwear.

"I don't think ponies like underwear," Drew said.

"I don't think the ponies like going to the bathroom very much!" she replied.

***

I told Rachel it would probably rain today (actually, it was brilliantly sunny, which brightened my mood considerably, and it was still light when I drove home. Daylight savings time is just around the corner!).

"Yay!" she replied about the rain. "I get to catch raindrops on my tongue! It's very easy. You just open your mouth!"

***

"Know how much I love chocolate?" Rachel asked tonight. "More than DADDY! As much as the whole UNIVERSE!"

***

I told Rachel at dinner that I appreciate the fact that she doesn't barge into our room in the morning but lets us sleep.

"Usually when I'm scared and I've done something wrong, I come into your room to tell you," she explained. And then my daughter, who has noticed that I reach for pen and paper whenever she says something amusing, added, "You wanna write it down?"

***

We were cuddling in bed tonight, which we haven't done in quite a while, when I asked her, "What are you going to be like when you grow up?"

Serves me right.

"I'm gonna be a pony!" Rachel said. "Someone who babysits ponies!"

OK, sweetheart.