Friends

When we got to the end of Stellaluna tonight, Tess wanted me to read the last few lines over and over again. She especially loved the line, "because we're friends, and that's a fact." So I asked her who her friends were.
She said, "Nika and Seyla."
"And who else?"
After a little thought, "Ime and Sebastian."
"Do you have any other friends?"
"Andrew and Isaac."
"Anyone else?"
She thought and then shook her head, no.
"What about Marti?" I asked, pushing the category into a new age group.
"Yes! AND BENEDICK," she said her eyes lighting up with the memory that he was a friend.

I then asked about other people in the neighborhood, kids that she sees as part of our weekly preschool group. She said, "no," to all their names. She doesn't consider them friends.

She's very particular about who makes the cut. She's a loyal and intense friend, but she definitely takes her time in letting people into her heart.