I had Ava spend the night with me this weekend. She's 4 and just about the cutest thing ever. She talks constantly. And while she's talking, she's jumping and skipping and moving, moving, moving.

We took a walk to get some gelatto in my neighborhood. She wanted lemon (we had a sample first to be sure, and she said she way). I ordered chocolate chip and carmel. As we sat licking our confectionary concoctions, she asked if she could have a taste of mine. I let her and then she said: let's trade. I'll have your gelatto and you have mine. Well, the trade wasn't exactly fair, as mine tasted so much better than hers (which she must have recognized upon first lick from my waffle cone), but I couldn't tell her no. I did insist, however, that she give me a couple more tastes of my lost gelatto.

Ava also told me I'm a good auntie because I get her whatever she wants. I know, it can't be good to be so nice, but why does something so bad feel so good?

We slept in my bed (after she had announced that she would sleep by herself on my couch). In the early morning I woke up and looked over at her, her little rose mouth and dark hair on creamy skin...she's so pretty, as you see in the photo.

When we were falling asleep she said: Bepo, it's really dark. I said: yes, but I'm here with you. A few minutes later she said: Bepo, in the Bible it says that whenever you're afraid, you should tell God.

I remember as a kid I'd be so scared to fall asleep at night. I'd lay in bed for hours, praying and singing and eventually sneaking into JoAnna's bed because if she was close to me I'd be able to sleep. Sometimes I'd wake my mom up and she'd pray with me. But I think more than anything I just wanted someone to turn on a light, you know? So I could see what was around me.

I got up and turned on the kitchen light so she could see and held her hand until she fell asleep. When it's dark outside all I really need to know is that someone is with me and sometimes that makes what I fear a little less scarey, gives a little light to a dark room.