Finger Food

Rachel's teacher, Ms. Baum, has several goals this year. One of them is to get our daughter to stop sucking her third and fourth fingers.

Good luck, Ms. Baum. She has sucked those fingers since she emerged from the womb and apparently, they calm Rachel down.

Rachel tells us whenever Ms. Baum catches her sucking her fingers, she makes Rachel wash her hands. The thought is that Rachel won't enjoy that taste as much when fingers are served with a soapy marinade.

This afternoon, as we enjoyed lunch at one of our favorite seafood restaurants, I noticed the fingers were once again in Rachel's mouth.

"Rachel, what would Ms. Baum say?" I chided her gently.

Rachel pondered the question briefly and then dismissed my query in a matter of fact tone, "Ms. Baum isn't here."