(After suggesting that we keep her eczema lotion near her pajama drawer so we don't forget to put it on BEFORE her pj's ...)
Amalia: (insistent) No, Mom, that won't work. I'll forget to do it.
Me: Well, why don't we give it the old college try? If it doesn't work, we'll try something else.
Amalia: (deep in thought) Mommy, if you are in college, do you just give it a try?
Me: (smiling) Sure. Something like that.
(Heard over the monitor right at 7:00 a.m.)
Baylor: (singing) Moooommmy! Cooome heeeerree! It's time to waaaaaaake up! Uhh-uhh! I want to seeeeee your beautiful faaaaaaace because I looooooooove you!
Baylor: (to Mollie) I wish I could draw hearts over my head because I love you so much!
(Just after he woke up one morning ...)
Baylor: Mom, I have learned something in third grade!
Me: Yeah, buddy? What is it?
Baylor: It is an important life lesson ... you can never be too safe.
Me: Ah, I see.
Baylor: (getting somber) I didn't tell you this, Mom, but I fell down twice yesterday at school.
Me: You did?
Baylor: Yeah. I fell down in the hallway on my way back from specials, and I took a corner a little too tight on the playground and fell.
Me: I'm sorry to hear that, sweetie. Are you okay?
Baylor: Yeah, but they hurt. So you can never be too safe. (thinking for a moment) Well, ... maybe you CAN be too safe, but you can also be too dangerous.
Me: Very true.
Baylor: Like, after my concussion ... I didn't play on the playground for MONTHS. To stay safe. (getting even more somber) And you know what? I felt really left out.
Me: Oh, sweetie, I am so sorry to hear that.
Baylor: Yeah. So you can be too safe AND too dangerous.
Me: I agree.
