Simon is about to discover a fundamental fact. No matter how sincere the 3 year old, they are incapable of not taking an injury and making it hurt like crazy every chance they get. It isn't deliberate, it has to do with the attention span of a gnat. Given they have to worry about Mima hurting herself and it only gets worse.

I had a coworker who had a 2 year old and 4 year old. Their mother was wrapping empty boxes for Christmas, being proactive about young kids and presents. I suggested they put a piece of coal in the empty boxes, which he thought was funny. Apparently they have videos the kids were playing over and over and... (you get the point) that explained this particular tradition. If they were good and didn't open the gifts then they didn't get coal, the kind of logic a 4 year old could explain.

Still, I could see a 3 year old finding mail extremely interesting. At that age I was play writing letters, I wanted to learn to read and write very badly.

I've always felt Stella was a good influence on Cathy. I always thought female sneakiness was innate, now I find it can be taught.

All in all, a good chapter.