I had the girls this weekend, and before I brought them back this evening, we went for kiddie-coffee at a Beaners. Or, the B as Lila calls it. Kiddie-coffee is, of course, a vanilla steamer, not too hot.

So, we sat around the table, sharing a lemon scone, the girls dipping their fingers into the foam on top of the steamers, and telling stories. I finished the Wash-ching-geka story about the ant-monster—Lila filled in some parts—and Eva, my two year old, hopped onto my lap and began her story.

“Once upon a time, a monster!” She growled and arched her fingers up in the air. “And a girl monster! Arrrrr!” she said, louder. Her nose wrinkled and she made a scary face at Lila. Lila looked at me in mock-shock. “And then…” she began to babble for a minute and she and Lila began to giggle.

“I thirsty,” said she, and reached for her steamer. Spoken like a true story-teller. Wore her throat right out.