Life with a four-year-old...

Clara's friend Katie is pictured in today's newspaper, for the sad reason that her cat is among those suffering from having eaten tainted pet food. Clara's first reaction was jealousy: "I want my cat to get sick!" When I asked if what she really wanted was to have her picture in the paper, she conceded, "Yes. That's the reason."

Anyone in the vicinity of our house yesterday morning might have thought we were having a preschooler revival meeting. "JESUS! I want JESUS!" she shouted. What she meant was this:

The Playmobil Nativity scene was a gift from friends a couple of Christmases ago, and is a big hit. However, it is now packed away with the other seasonal decorations and I have no intention of digging it out right now. I don't see why she has to have this particular item when the living room is literally covered in Legos and other small plastic toys, but she was not happy with my reasoning.