Last night I happened upon Mila sitting at the coffee table pouring the contents of one (bright blue) magic potion test tube into another (bright red) magic potion test tube. Right over our new(ish) cowhide rug, which recently got some bright blue streaks courtesy of the hair crayons she got for her birthday. Without thinking, I yelled something heartless to the effect of, “Do that in the kitchen! That rug is the nicest thing we own, I don’t want you ruining it!” 

She raised her eyebrows, test tube cocked, and said, “Really? It’s the nicest thing we own?” 

Obviously I couldn’t back down at that point, so I said (snapped), “Yes. Really.” 

She calmly stood up and picked up her test tubes. As she carried them to the kitchen she said, without looking at me and without a hint of malice, “Do you know what my favorite ‘thing’ in the whole world is mummy?”

“What?” I asked.

“My family.”

Well, don’t I feel like the asshole. Again.