This morning: "When my was a teeeeeny tiny baby, my make a whole lot lot lot of cookies and my eat them ALL!"

Yes, she is sugar-obsessed.

Sharing Love but not Candy

A few days ago, I'm pushing Ani on a swing at the park in our soon-to-be neighborhood. Out of the blue, she says "I love everybody in the whole world!" Then she quickly adds as if to head off an easy misinterpretation "But I don't share my candy with anyone."

We were in no way discussing then nor at anytime that day, so far as I can tell, the topics of love or candy. I just want this to be clear, when I say "out of the blue," I mean it.

Broekman Broekman

Yesterday Jonah is screaming, seemingly inconsolably, when someone starts repeating the (fake?) Dutch word broekman. Soon it's a song with Nana, Pop, Marie and Anneke singing "Broekman broekman. Broekman broekman." And he is instantly, completely contented. The song has since worked for individuals on at least three different occasions. Go figure.

(The 'word' broekman stems from Pop (aka Steve)'s childhood when a neighbor of his inexplicably called him "broekman" which apparently translates roughly as "pants-man.")

God and the Penguins

At dinner this afternoon, Anneke was asked what she learned in Sunday school.

"God" she said.

"What about God?"

"He made the fishes!" She replied. "But not the penguins." This last with the kind of trailing off inflection meant to imply the absolute stupidity of anyone who could possibly think something so absurd as God making penguins.

She then went on to explain to all present that penguins have neither toes nor heels and, as if further detail were needed, don't wear shoes either.