For a while now, we have been reading to Claire a big picture book called The Inside Out Book of Texas, partly for fun and partly to prepare for next summer’s move to Dallas. The first page features a big drawing of the Dallas skyline. Normally when Claire sees it she happily says, “Dallas!” But yesterday she saw it and said, “I don’t like Dallas!”

At first, this seemed like a bad sign for the big move, but I felt better today when Claire repeatedly declared, “I don’t like Thomas!” Thomas, of course, is Claire’s very favorite train character. She even named her favorite bathtub toy, an orange plastic dolphin, after him.

Claire has since claimed to dislike our dog Muffin and butterflies — yes, butterflies. It’s almost a good thing to be on Claire’s “don’t like” list these days. I expect that tomorrow morning I will hear her say, “I don’t like pancakes!” even as she gobbles them down.