A promise that Drew will hold Rachel to when she's a teenager

Tonight Rachel announced at dinner (Drew was in Seattle): "I'm never ever gonna kiss a boy except Daddy."

"Why?" I asked.

"'Cause that's what Tessa said," Rachel answered. "Kissing a boy is icky. Except Daddy."

Grandpa and PopPop, I'm sure she meant to include you as kissable, too.

***

"This is a good coat to wear because when I jump into your arms I won't feel anything scratchy!" Rachel said as I reached for my electric blue fall coat, a gift from Mom years ago. Surveying my ears, Rachel noticed with delight that I was wearing her favorite earrings, a pair of beaded drop earrings I bought a few years ago. "Your ears look like rainbow!" she said.

***

"You have the biggest blue eyes," I said to Rachel tonight. "Boys are going to want to kiss you and hug you and cuddle you. Are you going to be nice to them?"

"Do I HAVE to be nice to them?" she answered.

"YES," I said firmly.

"Oh-KAY," she answered. "I suppose."

***

Drew has taught Rachel the Oscar Meyer bologna song, and she asked that I sing it to her during Shabbat dinner. And then I could see her attempt to memorize it. The sad thing is, that commercial is STILL in my head from childhood!

***

Rachel said one of the best things she likes about being in Firefly class instead of Little Bunnies class is that the reading nook is open all day.

"I bet if you could, you'd read all day," I said.

"The teacher would say, 'don't you want to play?'" Rachel replied. "And I'd say, 'no, I want to read books all day.' And then I'd go back to reading and not play."

Yes, folks, she is definitely my daughter.