Last night, I babysat for a very sweet 2-(3-?)year-old girl.

Having watched her before, I knew that she’d cry on-and-off, asking for Mommy and Daddy, sometimes wailing; but there are ways to calm her down, and she always ends up with the effing sweetest twinkle-eyed smile. This time, I thought she might be extra cranky, as she’s been having tummy troubles (and they seem genuinely like the 7th ring of Dante’s toddler hell; there wasn’t a trace of fake-cry in her eyes).

At this age, she is a huge fan of the question: Why?

Mommy and Daddy will be home soon: Why?

Because they miss you and they want to see you soon: Why?

Because they love you very much: Why?

After she took a heartcringingly, nosewrenchingly … wet … poo, her tummy felt much better, and all crying was off. She pulled out a sparkly pink toy camera (I thought it might be Disney-branded — specifically Tinkerbell-ish, ‘cos Tink’s her favorite— but it was just plain and cute), and started “taking pictures.”

Little Miss: Say cheese!

LQA: Cheese!

… and this went on and on, with her taking pictures of her pet panda, the dog, Noggin, her mac’n'cheese, and then, out of nowhere:

Little Miss: Aunt Lindsey, where’s your daddy?

… and that’s when I try to hide the fact that I’ve suddenly started to weep.

LQA: Very far away, and I miss him.

Little Miss: Is he nice? Does he love you?

LQA: Yes, very much.

Little Miss: Did he ever hit you or be mean?

LQA: No, never.

Little Miss: That’s like my daddy.

… you know how when you’re little, trying to hold back tears, it helps to look away and up?

Little Miss: I will take a picture of him, so he can see you, and you can see him.