On what needs to put in her backpack: “A ball and a liquid and a solid and …”

On the sanitariness of sandbox baking: “Don’t worry, dad. Snail poop will come out in the oven.”

On favors: “Dad, can you do me a favorite?”

On the ultimate lesson of Kiki’s Delivery Service: “It’s more better to have big balloons out on a warm and sunny day.”

On help: “Dad, can I borrow some help?”

On what babies say: “First, Hoc-O-Hoc.”

On her first words in the morning, when I find her hidden under her blanket: “Dad! I’m a snail!”

On overriding my objections: “I just want to gently rub your eyes. Don’t worry. It won’t hurt.”

On why she wants Momma get into the imaginary balloon that’s imaginarily deflating: “It’s okay. You can fall.”