His sister rocks.

 
     I got to got to the grocery store with just Molly and Etienne!  The does require an exclamation point because when we separate the Three Stooges, they are entirely different creatures.  Molly and I have this groove for Etienne, trying to help him learn with what we are doing.  "Etienne, can you set that green apple next to the carrots?" Molly will say.  She holds his hand, asks him engaging questions and generally keeps at least one side of his body from crashing into, pulling apart, knocking down or disconnecting everything he passes along the way.  We got to the yogurt section and it was 10/$5.00.  Miss Molly and I set out the yogurts and had Etienne count them out the best he could.  He sort of kept going after he got to 10...no big deal to this mama at this point.  We will get there when we get there.
     My Molly turned to me and said "Mama, I makes me so sad that E is so smart but he can't understand this."  Oh, my heart.  It burst with love for her that she has so much empathy for her little brother.  And I'd be lying if I didn't say I did have a pang of sadness that this is indeed true that he has so much to comprehend despite over a year of very intentional play.
     As we rounded the corner toward the front, there was a man in an electric wheelchair and an oxygen tank.  Luckily, that tank was loud because Etienne turned to his sister and in a very loud, very E voice, said "Molly, we should pray for him right now. Shouldn't we?"  Molly's grin was priceless as she patted his head.  I could not be more thankful for that little trip to the store; for her heart and for both of us being reminded that Etienne very clearly comprehends so much of the big stuff.