conuly

We were walking to the boat, and Evangeline, out of nowhere, asked "Which one of us do you love the best?"

I replied, quite sincerely (and not a little desperately!) that of course I love them the same amount.

Eva: But really, which one do you love MOST?
Me: THE SAME. I LOVE YOU BOTH THE SAME.
Ana: C'mon, tell us!
Me: Nope, not doing it. Because I love you the same. And even if I didn't, I'd never tell you, because that'd just make the other one upset.
Ana and Eva: No we wouldn't! TELL US, CONNIE! TELL US!!!!

I was trapped. Cornered! There was no way out! Frantic, I searched for the answer to satisfy everybody, and fell upon...

Me: Moosie. I love Moosie the best.
Them: Moosie????
Me: Yup, Moosie.
Them: Moo-
Me: YES! She never whines, or throws tantrums, or doesn't eat her lunch-
Ana: She doesn't eat lunch! She's a doll!
Me: Exactly! She always does what I tell her-
Eva: Because she's not real!
Me: I don't care. All I care is that I don't have to make her clean her room or do her homework or put her clothes away.
Eva: But what about Baby Jill?
Me: Jill's got a hard head. Moosie is very snuggly.
Ana: We snuggle!
Me: Yeah, but you have elbows. Very boney. No, sorry girls, it's Moosie all the way. That's why I didn't want to tell you!

I don't know if they were satisfied with this answer, but they stopped asking. Phew! That was a close one.