“Mama, what are we going to do at church tonight?”
– Emily, who tends to get confused between Wed prayer meeting and Sun evening service

“Dear God, Amen!”
– Amanda, who wasn’t confused at all!

“Daddy? May I have some pistashews?”
– Emily, asking for… well… some sort of nut

“Pistachios?”
– Daddy, correcting her

“Yes, pistashews.”
– Emily, certain she knows what she wants

“Emily, Mama usually eats two kinds of nuts — pistachios and cashews. I believe she gave you cashews last time. Would you like some of those?”
– Daddy, still trying to correct pronunciation and explain her option(s)

“Yes, Daddy. I’d like some cashios.”
– Emily, showing she knows exactly what she wants…

“Amanda, would you like some ice cream?”
– Mama

“Kheem!!”
– Amanda, enthusiastically clapping her hands

“Or, you could have a cookie if you like.”
– Daddy

“Coooookieeeeee. No. Kheeeeem!!!”
– Amanda, proving she definitely knows what she wants

“Emily…look how big Daddy is!”
– Daddy, reaching up and touching the ceiling

“Wow, you pretty are big!”
– Emily, responding genuinely if not correctly

“You mean, ‘You are pretty big’?”
– Daddy, correcting Emily

“No, I’m kinda small”
– Emily, correcting Daddy

“Daddy! There’s a blue balloon and a purple balloon!”
– the ever-observant Emily, noticing the “markers” for a birthday party house

“That’s right, and how many balloons are there?”
– the ever-educating Daddy, never one to pass up an opportunity

“One, two…Two balloons!”
– Emily

“Right again! So, one plus one makes…”
– Daddy

“Two!…”
– Em

“Right!”
– Dad

“…and one makes five, and six makes seven, and eight makes nine…”
– Emily, who apparently doesn’t quite get it yet…

“Emily? Can you say ‘Leviticus’?”
– John, feeling educational

“No.”
– Emily, feeling contrary

“C’mon Emily…try it. ‘Leviticus’.”
– John, feeling persistent

“Love and a kiss!”
– Emily, being impossibly cute