conversation before daycare

If you were rushing around with me this morning, getting Alice ready for her day, you would have seen me frantically trying to clean her face off (somehow she managed to get banana caked into her cheek) before we took off in the car for daycare. I actually did the whole "spit and wipe" thing on my poor baby's face. You remember that one? Where your mom grabs your face, spits on her fingers, and then rubs furiously at some small spot? I have excellent memories of that myself.

Alice "whatcha doing, mommy?"

Me: "Trying to rub your face off"

Alice (shocked) "what???" she pulls away from me

Alice (very very upset, meltdown pending) "no mommy, you can't wipe my face off, that's my face and it belongs to me." (accusatory finger pointed at me)

Me: (long exhale). well said, my friend, well said.