Emma: Can I smash the baked bean?

John: If you must needs smash your baked bean, smash it on your plate.

Emma (after smashing and eating the bean): Can I smash another baked bean?

John: Yes, you may smash another baked bean…on your plate.

You put on the oven mitt and pull out a…

Mellisa and Doug insect puzzle piece.

You just gotta laugh.

She came in this evening while I was trying to study to give me goodnight hugs and kisses.

I had the radio tuned to our local public radio station - at this hour of the day, it’s usually a jazz show.

“Is that Charwie Parker?” she asked.

She knows from jazz! Sweet!

Now if I could just get her to know from John Prine.

So we’re watching “Reading Rainbow,” starring Commander Jordi LaForge, who is talking  about Jazz.

One of the books they talked about was “Charlie Parker Played Bo-Bop,” which Emma has.

So after the show is over, I ask Emma if it would be OK if we play some Charlie Parker and read her book.

And so we do. Charlie Parker with Strings: The Master Takes. She sits on my lap, and we read “Charlie Parker plays Be-Bop” while Charlie Parker plays be-bop. We read that book five times.

It doesn’t get much better.