Things We Say

Sam is trying to teach Ethan to brush his teeth. I am sitting in the other room feeding Gracie but I can hear the drama unfolding in the bathroom.
"You have to spit Ethan."
"Ethan are you listening to me?"
"You can't eat the toothpaste Ethan - you know that."
"Ethan...."
"Are you listening to me?"
"Okay that's it - that's it, I'm serious. You're just not going to be allowed to do this anymore. No more. We're just going to have to figure something else out. I'm serious."

After a moment Sam's figure appears in the doorway and we make eye contact.

"He's not allowed to ever brush his teeth again?" I ask.

And then we both start laughing.

"No," she says. "Never again."