Solomiya

This one took the cake yest. Saw her in the am- she cleans up well...amazingly well. She can tie the sash on her dress behind her back in a perfect bow. She's 5 (this she informed me with eyes like saucers- I was duly impressed).
Had supper with them. Afterwards, she stands in front of me, hands behind her back all prim and proper. Can you make yourself cry, she asks.
Huh?
Big sis- do you cry when you sing?
Huh?
Much explanation... The upshot- can you sing a sad song and make yourself cry?
Ummmmm...
Solomiya starts in, swaying gently. Some song about children and food and puppies and kitties...at some point, it dawns on me that, for a 5 year old, she sure has memorized a lot of verses to this song...which is when I start listening again...she's singing about how many channels there are on TV...which doesn't quite fit. Big sis is giggling...busting a gut...I look over-She just makes the words up as she goes, Sis says, laughing harder.
Solomiya looks royally offended. Marina- don't laugh; I'm trying to cry!

As we were leaving, Solomiya looks up at me all serious- do you know what you look like when you laugh? And she opens her mouth wider than any wide-mouthed frog and goes Hahaha. We laughed till we cried.