My niece Elinor is a trickster. She made me miss a day of work just so that I can be with her. One look and a smile made me decide that family is more important than work. I would rather spend one day with her than one day trying to make a company money. How powerful that one smile is. How wonderful that look of unconditional love. How painful Elinor's smack on the head. Whap! Whap! Wake up Uncle!!! It's 7 in the morning! Whap! Whap! Whap!!!

My sister was visiting my SO's parent's place for dinner. My future mother-in-law is a wonderful, fantastic cook who can make a banquet out of canned goods. She was kind enough to host a dinner and cooked some Pin@y foods. As an appetizer, piniritong lumpia was served. Elinor loved holding the browned wrapped bounties of nature in her itsy-bitsy hands. And as Elinor ran, she would take a bite from the lumpia, smile and run some more. Was there more joy derived from lumpia from some other child or man? Probably not.

After nearly finishing one lumpia, Elinor became a dribbling fountain of lumpia bits when she ran. Little pieces of lumpia would fall from her half devoured lumpia. Ooops, a piece of corn drops to the floor here, a piece of meat over there. As she runs to her mother, she leaves a trail of lumpia bits. As she ran, she unexpectedly met a whole plate of lumpia that was served for the other guests. She looked at the plate of lumpia for five seconds. She studies that golden skin. She analyzed the small hill of lumpias. She noticed that my SO was offering her the half-devoured lumpia. Then, with a flash of movement like lightning, Elinor's left hand grabs a new lumpia from the platter, her feet carry her off with her stuttering footsteps typical of two year olds, and a giggle trails her getaway.

Elinor's mother, father, my SO and I saw this moment of outlaw behavior and we were left stunned. She was so fast! My SO went off to chase Elinor to grab the new lumpia. After all, she had not finished the other one. Before we finally sat for the dinner, Elinor had stolen three pieces of lumpia. She did it with lightning quick movement, a shuffle of her little feet and a large giggle of excitement at her adventures.