Conversations with my daughter

..cover the ends of the universe. Tonight it was, "what sounds don't you like the most?"
"Fingernails across a blackboard," I answered. "Babies crying over and over and over."
"And motorcyles?" Rachel asked.
"Yeah, and motorcycles," I answered.

She agreed with me except for the babies crying; she substituted something going "WHACK!" on a table.

"What are your favorite sounds?" she said.
"The sound of your laughter," I said, and she smiled.
"Birds chirping in the early morning," I said. "And the sound of rain pattering on a roof on a warm night."

Hers were the sound of falling leaves and two others that I can't remember. Really, she's a poet.

***

As we were heading to the grocery store after work tonight, Rachel complained she was hungry.

"I'm 10 pounds and to the ends of the universe and back hungry," she said. "I'm STARVING!"

I resisted the urge to tell her about the hungry children in Africa.

***

Tia Daniella sent Rachel an early birthday present so it would be sure to get here while she, Jojo and Valerie are in Taiwan -- thank you, Tia Daniella! Rachel wanted to open it right away but of course I said no.

"Did Valerie have something to do with it?" she asked.
I told her I wasn't sure but I thought so.
"I hope Valerie had something to do with it," she replied. "Then I'd have a little bit of my cousin every day!"