Warm Moment On a Cold Night

When all hands are on deck following Joe's shower and Clara's bath, one of us will read to Clara and the other, to Joe. This way, Clara can read from her beginning pre-readers without her well-meant but over-eager brother inserting himself into the mix. Here, we pause to say you read that right a few lines back, Brigade: Clara can read from her pre-readers. She can get her spunky (pajama) pants on and huff and puff that she can't do it, but she can, Brigade. She can.

Birdie always asks whoever has read to her to stay and snuggle. Tonight, Julie stayed and was told she was "the warmest mommy ever!" Birdie speculates that Julie spends her days by the fire. (Oh Brigade. Sigh! Would that it were true! With a blanket and a book!) The Birds discussed their favorite books: Fancy Nancy! All of them! The bambini do not play favorites; all of them is still their standard response to any query about a favorite anything. But Clara did allow, after Julie did, that she, too, especially enjoys Fancy Nancy and the Wedding of the Century with its continuous cover (we love a continuous cover). Exception: Knuffle Bunny! Clara especially likes the third and final installment in the trio because it has "an extra story"--an epilogue. Clara also likes her "jewelry light" (chandelier), the nutcrackers she and Joe bought themselves at Christmas time that both live in her room, right next to her "noddy dolls" (bobble head dolls of Twins players).

Oh, she's very dear, Brigade. The warmest Birdie ever!