for me, certain things are predictable

it was election night. not that i cared, but bush was going to win. i predicted, based on astrology and the hints i got watching the campaigns unfolded. being my witness, my friend abby said she would get popcorns for the showdown. for us, it was a bowl of green seedless grapes.

i pleaded to sienna, "please, let mommy have CNN for tonight. no Tree House, ok!?" she seemed to feel the urgency in my voice immediately. not only she agreed, she set up my yoga mattress in front of my bedroom TV and asked me to sit there, side by side with her. "just like watching a movie, mommy," that must have reminded her of the last movie we saw. in a drive-in theatre, we sat on the ground outside our car watching "shark tale".

now she asked me to stop flipping the channels as if that disturbed her. we came back on mommy's channel, CNN, a guy from Kerry's camp appeared just in time to crack her up. he was talking so fast. she tried to imitate him. "do you understand him, sienna?" i asked. "i will understand when i grow up..." i could have finished her sentence.

for every grape she put up in her mouth, she asked me to pick up one from the bowl between us. or else, she would stuff one in my mouth. "mommy, have another." i reached my hand into the empty bowl. she laught so hard because she just tricked me. smarty pant!

i looked at her and i couldn't help seeing her as a much much older kid, like, a very sweet, happy and calm teenager. something in her is so predictable, pleasantly predictable.