conuly

Evangeline: Grandma says, and Nanen says, that I'll be bigger than Ana. That's not true, is it?
Me: Oh, it probably is. You're bigger than some kids your age, and Ana is smaller than most kids her age. Certainly by the time you're grown up, you'll be bigger than she is.
Evangeline: But not until then? You weren't bigger than Mommy, were you?
Me: Well, no - but we were the same size from when I was just a little older than you. I didn't get taller than her until she stopped growing*.
Evangeline: Was I bigger than Ana when I was little? I mean more little?
Me: When you were a baby? No. And you weren't any bigger as a baby than SHE was as a baby.
Evangeline: But she wasn't born early ["orly"], right? And I wasn't?
Me: Preemie? No, no! No early babies, you were right on time.
Evangeline: And you know, that place, that we sent money to last year?
Me: Haiti...?
Evangeline: Some of the babies there are early and they're so small they can't wear even small diapers!
Me: Um... yeah, I know.
Evangeline: (I realized at this point she was conflating helping Haiti with the Halloween March of Dimes parade) But I don't want to be a hero to babies!
Me: Why not? I mean, you don't have to be like a superhero -
Evangeline: I don't want to be a superhero -
Me: or a doctor or anything.
Evangeline: I'm going to be a singer. And a writer. And I won't have enough money! They can get another hero.
Me: Well, some writers and singers are very wealthy.
Evangeline: Not me. And I want to spend my money on other things!
Me: Well, even if you don't make much, if you can it's always good to give SOME of your money to help other people. Like, if you have ten dollars, it's good to give ONE dollar to help the babies.
Evangeline: But not ALL of it.

She then emptied her piggybank (all fifteen cents...) to her March of Dimes envelope, so there you go.

*I'd be even more taller than Jenn if I hadn't entered puberty so early. As it is, I'm average.