rivka

Alex came to the table tonight with navy blue marker all over her lips, eyelids, eyebrows, and finger and toenails. "Makeup," apparently.

We told her she could have dinner after she'd washed all the marker off. Michael helped her get set up with the water (which can be hard to turn on) and her stepstool and a hand mirror to check her progress, and then came downstairs to eat his dinner while it was hot. She cried when she heard us sing grace without her.

I went up after a while, because she was begging for help. Her hands were cleanish but no other progress had been made. It turned out that she hadn't been using soap on her face, so I made some suggestions and came back down to finish my dinner. When Michael and I had both finished eating, I went back up and washed the rest of her face for her. I really had to scrub her eyelids, which was unpleasant for both of us. They still have a bluish tinge. I explained to her that makeup is special because it can go on your face without hurting you, and that isn't the case for random coloring things.

When she was finally able to come down for her dinner, she was distraught to find that we had not waited for her, and that in fact, we were finished. How tragic to be asked to eat alone! She cried again.

She claims not to have had any idea that we would be upset that she colored all over her face with marker. Uh huh.