Yesterday I was canning salsa with Hallie in the kitchen, and I was cutting 4 lbs of onions. My eyes just wouldn’t stop watering and Hallie was watching me intently and continuously told me not be sad. As I started blending everything together, I looked down at her and she has big tears running down her face. I asked what was wrong. She replied, “I don’t know, my eyes are doing something funny.” I couldn’t help but smile. Every time I blended a new batch, she would get a concerned look and repeat, “Mom, my eyes are doing something funny.”

Today I was just finishing up the salsa (yes, it makes that much, and yes it took me two days to tackle the project) in the kitchen so I had Hallie at the counter painting with her watercolor set. (the old school type where you dip your paint brush in the water and then choose your color.) This kept her attention longer than any toy she has in her room. After a while she asks me for more water. Looking at her cup of murky purple water, I notice it is getting low, so I just topped it off. Seconds later she’s holding her cup and asks for more water. I look at the counter for a spill, nothing. Nothing on the floor either. I asked where the water went. She looks at me confused. I asked if she was thirsty and replied, “Yes, I want more water.” “Did you drink the purple water?” “Yes, can I have more water please.”

Oh man! But it got me thinking, they should make a paint set that’s flavored like Kool-Aid so when you dip your brush in the purple and dip it back in the cup, you now have grape flavored water. Unfortunately, Hallie just had the normal paint set, I’m sure it’s not toxic!