In Which I Discover That My Child Is a Disney Character

Mia had her cute-engine cranked up pretty high tonight. She was singing a phrase from some song I've never heard, but I could tell she heard it on the radio because she faithfully reproduced a British accent when she got to the word "heart."

"It's my favorite song in the world," she said. "When I hear it my ears have a party!"

Also, she's been learning about Martin Luther King in kindergarten. While I was tucking her in tonight, after storytime, she said she gave "twenty prayers" for "Martin Leather King." When I said that was sweet, she told me about the birthday cake she planned to make for him, which would come with a giant frosting heart. I smiled and said that sounded really yummy.

Then she got her sad face and said, "I wish he didn't die."

"Me too," I said, rubbing the hair from her forehead.

"I would tell him, thanks for changing all those laws."

It's the kind of thing that if I saw on a movie screen I'd choke on the schmaltz. If I read it in a book I'd hurl it away and cry out, "Why do you assault me with your saccharine fantasies!?"

But it's my kid, and I'm just a sappy old dad. It's beautiful.