An Oldie but a Goodie

For those of you that are just getting to know Katie, I thought I'd tell my favorite story. It still makes me giggle, so hopefully even those who have heard it before will appreciate it. We ordered food from the Chinese/Japanese/Thai place near us one night. She got her normal sweet and sour chicken and I got my sushi. I always ordered one piece of Tobikko (flying fish eggs). She looked at the fish eggs and asked if she could taste them. Without telling her what they were, I gave her a taste. She asked for some on "her plate". I gave her some and she continued to eat them. Then she finally asked the question:

Katie: What are these?
Me: Fish eggs.
Katie: Fish eggs? Pause... What would they be?
Me (assuming she meant if they hatched): Well, if you left them in the water, I guess they'd be fish. (As my husband says, I have a great eye for the obvious.)

I am now watching my child process this information and study the fish eggs. I'm waiting for her to make the connection between them and Nemo since they are the same color. Then I see her pick up her fork and put more on it. She leans over the fish eggs, puts her hand up like she's trying to comfort them and says, "Don't worry, you'll be with your family soon!"

Such compassion.