Observations of a Four-Year-Old

I often think some of the most rewarding parts of parenthood are the times when I get to observe Emmeline in her, umm, natural habitat, shall we say? You know, like when I go to pick her up at school and she hasn't yet noticed that I'm there, so I get to watch her play. Or when I get to eavesdrop on her from time to time, listening in on those rare occasions when she'll play by herself with her dolls for a little while.

Last night, though, was a real doozy; I got to listen to my daughter compose and perform a patriotic song, complete with plastic flute accompaniment, all while she sat on the toilet. It was all I could do to not roll on the floor laughing--especially when she got to the part where she sang about this great country of ours, the Nighted Stick of America.